•250g pack streaky bacon, chopped
•2 large onions, chopped
•1kg beef mince (or ostrich/venison or a mix)
•4 beef stock cubes
•125ml red/white wine
•250 – 500g mushrooms of choice
•500g uncooked small pasta shells
Sauce
•1 tin whole peeled tomoatoes
•1 tin tomato pureé
•1 small tin tamato paste (or a sachet or 2)
•a little sherry
•Origanum, pepper and “lots of garlic”
•125ml apricot jam
Cheese & Spring Onion sauce made with: 100ml plain flour, 90ml butter, 1 litre milk, 200g sharp cheddar, 15ml Ina Paarman Green Onion seasoning, greens of a bunch of spring onions
Extra grated cheese for finishing
Fry the bacon and onions over medium high heat till brown, up to 10mins, then add, mince, breaking it up, but allowing to brown a little. Add mushrooms, wine and stock cubes and stir through. Place lid on and allow to simmer for 30mins.
Mix sauce ingredients well (chop whole tomatoes roughly, using the juice too), then stir in the sauce (make it up to a litre with water) then follow with the pasta. Place the lid on the pot and allow it to simmer over low heat for 30-45mins till pasta is cooked and no liquid remains. (I stirred halfway through cooking time and at the end)
Now remove from the heat, pour over hot cheese sauce, scatter over extra grated cheese, replace lid and stand for 10mins before serving with salad.
