Name: Big-batch bolognese
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 4 tbsp olive oil -; 6 smoked bacon rashers, chopped -; 4 onions, finely chopped -; 3 carrots, finely chopped -; 4 celery sticks, finely chopped -; 8 garlic cloves, crushed -; 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs -; 2 bay leaves -; 500g mushrooms, sliced -; 1½ kg lean minced beef (or use half beef, half pork mince) -; 6 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes -; 6 tbsp tomato purée -; large glass red wine (optional) -; 4 tbsp red wine vinegar -; 1 Tbsp sugar -; parmesan, to serve -

Ingredients for - Big-batch bolognese

1. 4 tbsp olive oil

2. 6 smoked bacon rashers, chopped

3. 4 onions, finely chopped

4. 3 carrots, finely chopped

5. 4 celery sticks, finely chopped

6. 8 garlic cloves, crushed

7. 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs

8. 2 bay leaves

9. 500g mushrooms, sliced

10. 1½ kg lean minced beef (or use half beef, half pork mince)

11. 6 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

12. 6 tbsp tomato purée

13. large glass red wine (optional)

14. 4 tbsp red wine vinegar

15. 1 Tbsp sugar

16. parmesan, to serve

How to cook deliciously - Big-batch bolognese

1 . Stage

Heat the oil in a very large saucepan. Gently cook the bacon, onions, carrots and celery for 20 mins until golden. Add the garlic, herbs, bay and mushrooms, then cook for 2 mins more.

2 . Stage

Heat a large frying pan until really hot. Crumble in just enough mince to cover the pan, cook until brown, then tip in with the veg. Continue to fry the mince in batches until used up. Tip the tomatoes and purée in with the mince and veg. Rinse the cans out with the red wine, if you have some, or with a little water, then add to the pan with the vinegar and sugar. Season generously and bring to a simmer. Simmer slowly for 1 hr until thick and saucy and the mince is tender. Serve with pasta and parmesan.

3 . Stage

If you want to make this in a slow cooker, visit our slow cooker bolognese recipe.