Beef and Lentil Ragu

• 3 tbspolive oil
• 500gbeef mince, 10% fat
• 2onions, finely chopped
• 2carrots, finely diced
• 2celery sticks, finely diced
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tbsptomato puree
• 200mlred wine
• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 250 gdried green lentils, rinsed
• 800mlbeef stock
• 2 tspdried oregano
• 2bay leaves
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 600 gspaghetti
• 60gParmesan, grated
• 200gmixed salad leaves
• 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil

Method

1. 1Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in your largest pan over a high heat. Add the beef and cook for 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and any liquid has cooked off. Browning is where the depth comes from, so let it catch a little on the base.
2. 2Add the remaining oil, the onions, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and cook over a medium heat for 12 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato puree for 2 minutes, then pour in the wine and bubble for 3 minutes until reduced by half.
3. 3Add the tomatoes, lentils, stock, oregano and bay with pepper, adding salt only if needed after tasting the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid half on for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes and adding a splash of water if it catches, until the lentils are completely tender and the sauce is rich and thick.
4. 4Fish out the bay leaves, taste and season. The ragu should be thick enough to hold a line when you drag a spoon through it.
5. 5For eight diners, cook all the spaghetti according to its packet instructions, then drain, reserving a mugful of cooking water. Toss with all the ragu, loosening with a little pasta water. Divide between eight bowls and serve with the Parmesan and salad leaves dressed in the extra virgin olive oil.
6. 6For batch cooking, serve only the sauce needed and cook 75 g dry spaghetti per person, with a matching share of Parmesan and dressed leaves. Cool the reserved sauce promptly and freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot throughout before adding freshly cooked pasta.

Per serving

kcal

725

protein

33.9g

fibre

6.2g

carbs

85.7g

fat

25.8g