Slow Cooked Bolognese

Bolognese is one of those mid week meals that we all love. But sometimes making it can be a drag especially after a long day at work.. Sometimes you just want to throw it all in a pot, leave it to cook and then enjoy later. Well lucky for you I have a recipe for slow cooked Bolognese. Fry off a few things then stick it all in the slow cooker for later.

Serves 5-6

1 Onion, Diced
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
500g Minced Beef
100g Bacon Lardons
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
8 Mushrooms, sliced
100ml Beef Stock
2 tbsp Plain Flour (to thicken)
1 Small Glass of Red Wine
2 Cans of Chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp Thyme
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to season

Serve with a bit of parmesan

1. Take the pot out of the slow cooker and put on the hob. Heat a bit of olive oil, Then add the beef mince and bacon. Cook til browned. Then add the garlic, onions, peppers and mushrooms, cook for a further 2 minutes.

2. Put back in the slow cooker and put on a low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and give a final stir. Leave to cook for 6-8 hours.

3. Just before the Bolognese is done, boil your favourite pasta (follow the instructions on the pack). Top with grated parmesan and it's ready to serve.

Dough Balls and Garlic Butter (V)

A good side or starter. Got the idea from having them from a packet by a famous restaurant chain (you know the one).

Makes 20 Balls

Dough Balls
500g Strong White Flour, plus extra for dusting
1tsp Yeast
1 tsp Caster Sugar
1½ tsp Salt 
300ml Warm Water
1 - 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Garlic Butter
100g Salted Butter
Handful of Chopped Parsley
2 Large Garlic Cloves, crushed

1. For the dough balls in a large bowl mix the flour, salt, sugar, yeast. Then make a well in the bowl and pour the water and give a good mix. It should stick together. If too wet add flour and if it isn't combining add a bit more water. 

2. Take out of the bowl and dust a work surface with flour and knead for 10 minutes (gives those shoulders a workout).

3. Clean the bowl and cover the bowl with olive oil by rubbing it to the side. Add the dough to the bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to prove for an hour or until it doubles in size.

4. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan assisted. While the bread proves, mix the butter, garlic and parsley together in a ramekin.

5. Put greaseproof paper on baking trays. Take the dough give a final knead and split into 20 balls (roll between your hands to get the shape). Then put in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes. Serve Warm.

Italian Bread (V)

I haven't baked much bread before so I thought I would give it a go. I wanted to make this one a bit different. I had some olives and Sundried tomatoes left over and thought they should go in and eventually it turned into something delicious.

Makes 1 Loaf

500g Strong White Flour
2 Sachets of Yeast
300ml Warm Water
75g Sundried Tomatoes, quartered
100g Green Olives, quartered
100g Black Olives, quartered
Drizzling of Olive Oil
Few Sprigs of Rosemary
Salt and Pepper

1. Add the flour, yeast, salt and pepper to the bowl. Stir it all together. Create a well at the bottom of the mixing bowl.

2. Gradually add the water into the well in the mixing bowl and stir as you go along. It will become doughy then you will be able to kneed the dough. If the dough is too dry; add more water and if its too wet; add more flour.

3. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Personally I find it quite relaxing and is a good way to relieve stress. Put cling film over the bowl and leave for about an hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 220/200 fan assisted. After leaving the dough to rise its time to add the olives, tomatoes and olive oil. You begin by flattening the bread out and putting about a third of the olives and tomatoes onto the dough. Then you begin to knead so the ingredients mix into the dough. Continue doing this until your out of olives and tomatoes.

5. Add olive oil to the dough and knead in. Begin to shape the dough into a long cylinder shape (See below). Add the rosemary sprigs to the top of the dough and make 3 cuts along the top. Sprinkle with a bit of flour and put in the over for 35 minutes.

Tip:

• Dip in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
• Want to give your bruschetta that bit more depth, toast the bread and top with the tomatoes, red onions etc.
• Makes lovely bread for sandwiches and adds that extra flavour. 
• The oil from the olives and Sundried tomatoes can be used on the bread instead of using olive oil. 

Mediterranean Chicken Burgers

Tired of those horsemeat burgers? Try my chicken burgers.... No horses in sight. Has a lot of healthy things in them with an explosion of different tastes.

Serves 2

1 Chicken Breasts, cut in half

About 5 slices of bread worth of breadcrumbs

4 tsps Green Pesto

A ball of Mozerella, sliced

1 Red Onion

Rocket

Jar of Sundried Tomatoes

4 Bread Rolls (Ciabatta, Burger Buns etc)

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

1. Cut each chicken breast in half. For each half put them underneath some cling film and flatten with a rolling pin.

2. Rub a bit of oil onto each bit of chicken then dip the chicken breast halves onto a plate of breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.

3. Heat a frying pan with some olive oil. Then fry in the pan, each side for about 5 minutes. It should be a golden brown colour.

4. For each roll put a small handful of rocket and some sliced red onion.  Cut half of the chicken breast half and place on top. Add a mozzarella slice, a couple Sundried tomatoes and a tsp of green pesto. Repeat for each roll. Serve with some chips and salad.

Meatloaf

An Italian dish in origin, but quite a popular dish in the USA. Such a filling dish that is quick and easy to cook.

Serves 4

Meatloaf
500g Minced Beef
3 Slices worth of breadcrumbs
1 Large Egg
3 tbsp Parmesan
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
Pack of Streaky Bacon
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1 Onion, finely sliced
2 tsp Oregano

Tomato Sauce
300ml Passata
200ml Beef Stock
1 Garlic Clove, Crushed
1 Onion, finely sliced
1 Small Glass of Red Wine
Shake of Worcestereshire Sauce
1 tsp of Brown Sugar
Torn up Basil

1. Preheat the oven to 200/180 fan assisted. Line a loaf tine with the streaky bacon.

2. Take a food processor or blender and add the egg, beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, tomato puree, garlic, onion and oregano. Blend together.

3. Add this to the tin. Cover with the over hanging bacon. And put in the oven for an hour. It will shrink in the oven.

4. For the tomato sauce: fry the onion and garlic in a pan with a bit of olive oil. Add the brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce for a minute. Then add the stock and red wine and leave to boil for 5 minutes. Add the passata and heat through. Then blend until smooth.

5. Slice the loaf and pour over the meatloaf. Serve with salad, basil and potatoes.

Calzone

Essentially a pizza folded in half. Fill it with anything you want. Can make it really meaty with pepperoni, sausage, pork, beef etc. Go veggie, with peppers, onions, sweetcorn etc. Or have a bit of everything

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Dough

250g Strong White Flour, shifted

Sachet of Yeast (7g)

Pinch of Salt

Splash of Olive Oil
125ml of Milk
75ml Water

Filling

1 Onion, sliced finely

Ingredients for the Dough

1 Pepper (Red or Green)

Black Olives, halved

Pepperoni

Ham, cut into pieces

Cooked chicken, cut into chunks.

Mozzarella Ball, cut into slices
Mushrooms, sliced
200ml Passata

40g Butter
2 Garlic Cloves
Parsley



1. To make the dough, you put the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the milk, water, salt and yeast to the bowl and mix together. Once combined begin to knead the dough for about 5 minutes

2. Add the olive oil and knead the dough for a further 5 minutes. Leave in a warm place for a couple of hours.

3. Preheat the oven for 220c/200c fan assisted.

4. Fry the pepper, onion and mushrooms in a pan. Put in a large bowl and add the other filling ingredients to the bowl, apart from the mozzarella. Mix well.

5. For the garlic butter, put the butter in a bowl and microwave. Fry the garlic. Add the garlic and parsley to the butter and stir.

6. Get the dough and separate into 4 pieces. Put the dough onto a floured surface and roll into circles.

7. Add the filling in the centre of the dough, then place the mozzarella on top.

8. Fold the dough over the filling and brush the edges with the butter to seal. Then brush a bit on the top.

9. Put on a baking tray with greaseproof paper on it. Put in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Serve