Ingredients – sauce:

30g butter
1 big onion, skinned and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery, scrubbed and chopped
500g minced beef, raw
2 tbsp tomato paste
250ml tomato puree
550ml beef stock
5ml basil
salt, pepper

Ingredients – other:

500g spaghetti
parmesan cheese, grated

Method:

1. Make the sauce first.
2. Fry the onion, carrot and celery until lightly browned.
3. Add the beef and brown lightly.
4. Add the tomato paste, tomato puree and basil and allow to simmer for a few minutes before adding the stock, salt and pepper
5. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the meat is tender and the liquid in the sauce is well reduced.
6. Re-season if necessary.
7. Sprinkle shaved/grates parmesan on top and serve.

Ingredients:

500g dried fettuccine
6 tbsp unsalted butter
150g sliced cooked ham
250g chopped portabellini mushrooms
1 cup cream
1 cup finely grated parmesan
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
fresh parsley for garnishing

Method:

1. Cook the fettuccine in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water until the pasta is al dente (not soft and mushy).
2. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Fry the mushrooms then add the cream and ham and bring to the boil.
3. Cook until sauce has reduced, or for about five minutes, stirring gently.
4. Remove from the heat.
5. Place pasta in a serving dish, sprinkle with the parmesan cheese then pour the sauce over the pasta to melt the cheese.
6. Gently mix the pasta and sauce together.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Garnish with parsley and a little parmesan.