Ragu

Based on the recipe from the Delia Collection - Italian

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 200g sliced pancetta, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 500g minced beef
• 500g minced pork
• 2 x 400g tin Italian chopped tomatoes
• 6 tablespoons tomato puree
• 175ml red wine
• 15g fresh basil

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 140 degrees C
2. Gently fry the onion in a tablespoon of olive oil for about 10 minutes. Then add the pancetta and garlic and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to your casserole dish.
3. Over a high heat add a tablespoon of oil to the frying pan and brown the minced beef and then transfer it to the casserole dish. Add another tablespoon of oil and brown the minced pork then add it to the casserole dish.
4. Add the contents of both tins of tomatoes, the tomato puree, red wine and some seasoning. Stir and allow to come up to simmering point.
5. While that happens strip the leaves from half the basil, tear them into small pieces and add them to the casserole.
6. Then as soon as everything is simmering place the casserole on the centre shelf of the oven and leave it to cook slowly, without a lid, for four hours. Stir after three hours, if necessary.
7. Finally add the remaining stripped basil leaves.