It’s a crowd pleaser, and for good reason. Everyone has their own version of this easy meal, but here’s one with a few twists. Slow cooking in the oven lets the flavours develop; the balsamic adds some sweetness and the rosemary and chilli give the sauce its zing. This is a great recipe to make on a lazy weekend or when you want to feed a crowd.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 500g pork mince
- ¼ cup of red wine
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp of balsamic glaze
- 1 (700g) jar of tomato passata
- 1 (400g) tin of tomatoes
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- 1 small sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 dried chilli (optional)
- Dried pasta (spaghetti or rigatoni)
- 2 tbsp butter
- Parmesan and lemon slices (for serving)
METHOD
- Preheat your oven to 150°C.
- In a Dutch oven or a large pot with a lid, gently fry the onion over a low heat until it is transparent. Add the mince and garlic, then turn up the heat to medium and brown.
- Add the red wine and cook for a minute or so until it has evaporated.
- Add the rosemary, tomato paste, passata, tomatoes, chicken stock and balsamic (and your chilli, if using) and bring to a simmer.
- Put the lid on your pot and place it in the oven.
- Bake for 1.5 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and check the sauce. If it’s not thick enough, pop it on the stovetop without the lid over a medium heat until it thickens.
- Cook your pasta as per packet instructions and drain.
- In the same pot you cooked the pasta in, melt the butter over a medium-low heat. Add a portion of the pasta, followed by the sauce, then heat through, and remove from heat.
- Serve with a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan and a squeeze of lemon (optional).
