Ingredients

• 1 onion
• roughly chopped
• 1 carrot
• peeled
• finely grated
• 1 courgette
• trimmed
• finely grated
• 1 red pepper
• deseeded
• thinly sliced
• 500g/1lb 2oz lean beef mince
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp dried oregano or dried mixed herbs
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 bay leaf
• 300g/10½oz dried spaghetti
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt
• grated Parmesan cheese
• or similar hard Italian cheese

Directions

• Put the vegetables in a large
• heavy-based saucepan and cover with 500ml/18fl oz water. Bring to the boil
• then simmer for 8-10 minutes
• or until the onion and pepper are very soft. Remove from the heat and blend the contents to a smooth purée using a hand-held blender. Set aside and keep warm.
• Heat a separate
• non-stick
• lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Dry-fry the beef mince for 3-5 minutes
• stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any large clumps
• until lightly browned on the outside.
• Add the puréed vegetables
• chopped tomatoes
• tomato purée and dried herbs to the pan
• stirring well to combine. Crumble over the stock cube and add the bay leaf. Season with pepper and stir again.
• Bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat until it is simmering. Half-cover the pan with the lid and continue to simmer gently for 25-30 minutes
• stirring the sauce more and more regularly as it thickens.
• Meanwhile
• bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
• Divide the spaghetti between bowls and top with the Bolognese. Season with black pepper and Parmesan.