This recipe (or more accurately series of suggestions) came about because of a sunny lunchtime in Taomia, Sicily. We found a local restaurant and popped in for lunch.
I chose the house spaghetti and asked the waiter (and owner & chef too, I think.) What was in it. He said "Spaghetti. With our special sauce." That's all I could get out of him. So I ordered it anyway.
It came in the classic Italian way. A bowl with some good olive oil in the bottom. Al dente Spaghetti on top of that and a very reduced sauce on top. You mix it up and add a bit of ground pepper (No cheese, I was told.) And it was really very good. A great depth of flavour and quite spicy.
I really wanted to re-create it, but the chap wouldn't give anything away. This is as close as I've got...
First, you need mince. Most people would use beef mince, but Sara's allergic to beef so I use lamb mince. Now, this bit is important. Put a little olive oil in a saucepan and heat it gently. Chuck in the mince and stir and stir. You have to brown the mince and break down all the clumps into tiny bits. This takes a little while but is so worth it.
In-between stirs, chop some veg. You really need onions (2 medium) and garlic (As many as you dare. I use about 5-6 cloves of garlic.) Then, whatever you have. Carrot, peppers (red & green.), courgette, leek, celery. Any or all of those. If you can bear to, dice all the veg quite small. It really works better with bits of veg not much bigger than the bits of mince. And keep stirring the mince!
Now, get a bowl and a sieve, and drain the mince. Pour some of the mince liquid back into the pan and soften the veg. Use as much mince liquid as you dare. I use it all, but that's not necessary!
While the veg is softening, chop some basil & thyme if you have them. If not, dried, mixed herbs is fine.
Put the mince back in with the veg and mix together.
Now add the herbs, a good shake (about a tablespoon) of balsamic vinegar, maybe a bit of soy sauce, or Worcester sauce and as much dried chilli flakes as you like. I use a teaspoonful. Stir and cook for a minute or two. Pour in a good slug of red wine and let it bubble. Add some ground pepper and a touch of salt. (only a touch if you've used soy sauce.)
Let that bubble and reduce down a bit. Now add half a tin of chopped tomatoes, or a small jar of tomato and basil sauce or some chopped fresh tomatoes. I use halved cherry tomatoes and put them in a bit later, so they don't disappear completely.
That's it. Let it bubble for as long as you can, uncovered. At least an hour. It needs to reduce quite a bit.
Cook the spaghetti in lots of salted water until just tender. Put a splash of good olive oil in the bottom of each bowl. Then spaghetti on that and a dollop of sauce on the top.
I suggest a good grind of fresh black pepper. And, if you must, some grated Parmesan cheese.
It's not Spag Bol. It's better!
