Spaghetti "Bolognese"

Adapted from: Ashlyn Edwards

Serves: 6

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

500 g (16 oz) pasta (or GF pasta)
100 g dried lentils or 300 g (12 oz) packaged meat alternative (like Quorn)
olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large green capsicum / bell pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cans (400 g / 15 oz) diced tomato, not drained
170 g (6 oz) tomato paste
2 tsp brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1.5 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt

grated parmesan (optional)

finely chopped basil (optional)

This spaghetti sauce will wow your dinner guests. They will think you came home early from work just to labour for hours on the sauce. They will congratulate you and ask for the recipe. You will enter this into a spaghetti competition and win first prize. (Can I just pause for a moment to pay tribute to the fact that I have fully converted my zeds to s's and typed out 'prise' and had to google it--because it didn't look quite right--before realising I meant 'prize'?). Moving on.

I may be over-dramatic about winning priZes, but that may also be because I am not a huge fan of spaghetti red sauce. It's always landed in the 'meh, okay I guess I'll have some' category. And no, I have not been to Italy. I'm sure I would fall in love with true spaghetti bolognese instantly. For now, all I ask is for you to enjoy this canned-tomato, vegetarian, dried-pasta meal and close your eyes and pretend you're having a 10 pm dinner on a warm night on the southern coast of Italy. 

If you're meal-planning an easy spaghetti night where you want to buy a jar of red sauce and a pack of noodles, I challenge you to spice up your life and spend only 20 extra minutes to make this fresh sauce. If you're feeling extra fancy, use fresh herbs (conversion is 1 tsp dried to 1 tbsp fresh). You won't regret either decision. 

Let's talk about Quorn. This is not an affiliated post. Quorn is made from mico-protein (like mushrooms, but not). It does not have a distinct mushroom taste and the mushroom dislikers in my life have enjoyed this meat-alternative. The texture is nice, and the ingredient list is small. It may not be suitable for vegans (egg product) so read package ingredients, first. 

Oh, and honesty time. The photograph does not accurately depict just how much parmesan I actually wanted to add (I dumped on another quarter cup after photographing). We call these 'for the 'gram' photos for a reason. Okay? But also now you know that parm = yes, please. 

Ingredients:

500 g (16 oz) pasta (or GF pasta)
100 g dried lentils or 300 g (12 oz) packaged meat alternative (like Quorn)
olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large green capsicum / bell pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cans (400 g / 15 oz) diced tomato, not drained
170 g (6 oz) tomato paste
2 tsp brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1.5 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt

grated parmesan (optional)

finely chopped basil (optional)

Directions:

1. If using lentils, boil in water until tender and drain off excess water. Set aside.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving pasta water, and set both aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion, pepper, and garlic until tender and browning. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Then, stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, bay leaf, oregano, basil, thyme, and salt and bring to a simmer.

5. Simmer sauce until it thickens to desired consistency.

6. Mix in the lentils or meat alternative and reheat if the meat-alternative is cool. Add pasta water to thin out the sauce if desired.

7. Serve pasta and sauce, topped with parmesan and basil (optional).