Italian Spaghetti Gravy.

[aging one]

Italian spaghetti gravy, from Mrs Bettini 1963, slightly adapted for Thailand.

What you need. One kilo of ground pork. 400 grams of ground beef, 300 grams of pork butt cut into small cubes. 2 large onions, 15 cloves of big garlic, mushrooms as you like, Italian spice, salt, pepper, and flour. One large can of tomatoes whole, 8 can of small Prego, I prefer the orange can. One of the cans should be cheese sauce.


Slice the mushrooms, chopped up the onions and garlic, you may use a food processor. Also dice up the canned whole tomatoes. Put the tomatoes and juice in a very large pot, and begin to simmer. While it is going put some olive oil in a big pan and saute off the onions, garlic and mushrooms, this must be a big pan or work. When they have sweated out and are soft and on heaping tablespoon of flour, season with the salt pepper and Italian spice and cook another 3 or 4 minutes. Dump the mess into the tomatoes that are simmering. Add 4 cans of small prego and a couple of cans of water.

Now the meat, saute off half the pork and beef till brown, add a big old spoon of flour again with the spices let it stew for a moment of two and add this to the big pot. Repeat the same way with the rest of the ground meat. Dont forget the spices and flour. Then finally do your cubed pork, again with the flour and spices. Add the remaining cans of prego. Check you may have to add a can or two of water as the flour makes a very rich gravy.

Now you wait at least 3 hours as it simmers on low. If you have a big oven you can put the whole shebang in there, as the temperature is more even and you wont get anything sticking. If not simmer on the stove top for the required minimum of 3 hours. Be sure to check as it may get sticky on the bottom.

After 3 hours turn it off and let it sit for 1/2 hour covered. Then you can stir off all the sticky bits on the bottom. Dont worry they arent burned and when stirred in thicken the sauce more. Do remember you cook this partially covered only, never put the top all the way on as this is a very thick and rich sauce.

Before serving with penne noodles taste one more time and adjust. For some reason a little more salt seems to work here. And I am not a salt eater, dont use it at all.

[Bangyai]

That recipe looks very tasty AO but its sounds like you're feeding a lot of people up there at Don Muang .......or is that a months supply ?

[aging one]

I make enough for 5 dinners for 3 or 4. The longer its in the freezer the more it seems to "age". Just gets better

[Loy Toy]

I made a bolognaise sauce last night and the kids loved it, I must say it was mighty fine.

1. 1 large onion finely chopped.
2. 4 ripe medium sized tomotoes finely chopped.
3. 3 medium garlic cloves finely chopped.

> Onions into a tablespoon of olive oil and cooked slowly until translucent.
> Chopped garlic spread over onion and cooked for another 30 seconds.
> chopped Tomatoes and a teaspoon of sugar thrown in and continue to cook until the tomatoes are soft with a good fluid buildup.
> I can 540 gram of pureed whole peeled tomatoes into the mix with a table spoon of crushed oregano leaves and 4 whole bay leaves, sprinkle of salt and pepper.
> Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
> Transfer mixture to a cooking pot and mix two tablespoons of tomato past with about 1/4 cup of water and allow to simmer until the sauce has the right consistancy.
> Allow your two daughters for taste approval and then allow the sauce to cool.

Last night we had top quality ground pork which I fried very slowly in the same fry pan that I originally cooked the sauce in (no additional oil), turning and mincing the meat making sure the mince was not overcooked and remaining a fine texture with no lumps.

> When I can see no more red I drained off all the fat then placed the meat into the sauce, gently mixing and put the covered pot on the lowest heat possible simmering the meat sauce.

> Teaspoon of oil in a full pot of boiling water, in with the spaghetti for about 20 minutes and a great simple meal and they come back for seconds.

[aging one]

Oh boy that sounds good as well. Would love to drink beer or wine and spend an afternoon cooking with ya mate.

[Loy Toy]

Same here mate and my recipe is simple and tasty and built just for my kids.

I am not a great mushroom lover but do eat them when prepared as you have done.

[aging one]

Same here mate and my recipe is simple and tasty and built just for my kids.

Just the same mate. Its all for the kids. Problems can arise when you go out and " Not as good as yours dad".

[sabaii sabaii]

slightly adapted for Thailand.

Where's the 20 chillis?

That looks nice Loy Toy but I like to throw half a bottle of red wine in mine, while drinking the other half. Something to do while its simmering

[Loy Toy]

That looks nice Loy Toy but I like to throw half a bottle of red wine in mine, while drinking the other half. Something to do while its simmering

If I'm cooking for adults certainly mate but most of the dinner guests are under 13.

[Marmite the Dog]

If I'm cooking for adults certainly mate but most of the dinner guests are under 13.

So?

A. The alcohol evaporates (you should only use a glass - any more is a waste.

B. If you polish off the rest of the bottle, you'll not give a shit anyway!

[Loy Toy]

^ If I'm cooking Coq Aux Vin or Chicken Marango no problems but my kids love my Bolognaise the way I cook it and I don't argue with the bosses.

[Nostradamus]

Che cosa è questo 'gravy?'