Hidden Veggie Bolognese

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion (or 2 small onions), finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 large zucchini (courgette) or 2 small zucchini, peeled and grated
• ½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste
• 200 g (7 oz) mushrooms, finely diced (I used Swiss brown)
• 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef (see note 1)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
• 700 g (1 lb 9 oz) passata
• 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
• 2 bay leaves (dry or fresh)
• 1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 400 g (14 oz) fettuccine (or pasta of choice), cooked as per the packet instructions
• ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Instructions

1. Cook the veggies –
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat.
3. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened.
4. Add the celery, carrot, zucchini and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until softened. Don’t skip the salt – it draws out moisture and helps the veggies soften without browning.
5. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened.
6. Add the beef –
7. Add the beef mince and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, until browned.
8. Add the remaining ingredients –
9. Stir through the tomato paste, then immediately add the passata, beef stock, bay leaves, caster sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.
10. Simmer –
11. Reduce the heat to medium–low and cover, with the lid ajar. Simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened.
12. Toss the sauce with pasta and serve –
13. Remove the bay leaves. Toss the cooked pasta through the sauce using tongs and serve sprinkled with the parmesan.