Takes a little effort Archives

Beef recipes

Beef carpaccio with coriander, chilli and lime pesto and phyllo sesame chips

5 minutes

Brinjal recipes

Brinjal, dhania and feta freeform tart

35 minutes

Biltong recipes

Vetkoek with biltong, cream cheese and preserved figs

15 minutes

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All-in-one pistachio cake topped with sliced apple

40 minutes

Cauliflower recipes

Cauliflower soup with blue cheese, toasted almonds

15 minutes

Citrus recipes

Naartjie-and-cardamom milk tart with candied citrus peel

35 minutes

Chicken recipes

Pot-roasted chicken with tender vegetables

1 hour

Beef recipes

Bolognese with gnocchi

2 1/2 hours

Bolognese with gnocchi

Serves 6

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cooking Time 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients

1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1 sage sprig
1 rosemary sprig
1 fresh bay leaf (if using dried, use 2 leaves)
1 red onion, chopped
250 g pork mince
250 g beef mince
3 leeks, finely chopped
100 g black olives, pitted and chopped
250 ml dry white wine
500 ml tomato passata
1 T tomato paste
250 ml beef stock
1 T sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
160 g Parmesan, grated

For the gnocchi:

6 potatoes
3 free-range egg yolks
1 t sea salt
180 g cake flour

Method

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the sage and fry for 20 seconds. Remove from the pan and do the same to the rosemary and the bay leaves.

Add the onion to the herb-infused oil and sauté until soft. Add the pork and beef mince and brown, then return the herbs to the pan.

Add the leeks, black olives and white wine and simmer. Once the wine has reduced by half, add the tomato passata, tomato paste, beef stock and sugar. Combine all the ingredients and season to taste. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.

To make the gnocchi, preheat the oven to 180°C. Roast the potatoes whole for 45 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and cool.

When cool enough to handle, peel and push the flesh through a potato ricer or grate using the fine side of a grater.

Place the potato into a bowl and add the egg yolks and salt. Sift in half the flour and knead to incorporate.

Slow sift in the remaining flour, a little at a time. Once all the flour has been added, the dough should be soft and spring back when pressed with your index finger. If the dough still feels wet, add 1 T flour at a time until it is no longer sticky.

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, then roll into thin sausages and cut into 1.5 cm pieces.

Blanch the gnocchi in the salted, boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Remove using a slotted spoon and drizzle with olive oil to prevent them from sticking together.

To serve, spoon the Bolognese sauce over the gnocchi and top with grated Parmesan.

Cook’s note: When making gnocchi, use the least amount of flour as possible. The more flour you add, the heavier the gnocchi will be.

DISCOVER MORE WAYS WITH MINCE HERE

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Classic beef stroganoff

Trio of toasts

Beef carpaccio with coriander, chilli and lime pesto and phyllo sesame chips

Brinjal, dhania and feta freeform tart

Vetkoek with biltong, cream cheese and preserved figs

All-in-one pistachio cake topped with sliced apple

Cauliflower soup with blue cheese, toasted almonds

Naartjie-and-cardamom milk tart with candied citrus peel

Pot-roasted chicken with tender vegetables

Bolognese with gnocchi

Bolognese with gnocchi

Ingredients

Method