Cutback Charlie’s Basics Spagbol

My flatmate recently got back after a couple of weeks abroad so I thought her first meal back I’d make her favourite thing that I cook- my Basics Spagbol. It gets its name because I use Sainsbury’s basics pretty much everything in it. The cows might not have been particularly happy but they’re certainly inexpensive. The tomatoes probably had some problems too but happily they’re still delicious.

In my mind this type of comfort food is what George Osborne would cook for David Cameron after releasing the annual budget, except of course their traditional meal for such occasions is the hearts of the less fortunate. Maybe Georgie makes his spagbol out of mince made from failed benefit claimants? Hard to say really- I’ll leave it to you to decide.

Pretty much everyone knows how to make spagbol, which generally means that it’s not often blogged about and that there is happily no consensus on ingredients or methods, which leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Something I love because it means nobody can tell me I’m wrong. Also, it’s pretty fantastic for a midweek supper but it also makes really killer leftovers and freezes well. I started making this dish in its current incarnation when I was at uni. While inflation means I can no longer cook it for £3.75 like in the old days, it’s still respectably inexpensive.  I always chop the veg coarsely (partly because I’ve only recently acquired proper knives) but also because I think the chunkiness they add fills the sauce out nicely.

Ingredients:
400g (basics) beef mince
1200g (basics) chopped tomatoes
500g of (basics) spaghetti or linguini
1 large red onion
1 orange pepper coarsely chopped
2 carrots peeled and chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped
2 diced fresh tomatoes (optional)
2 glugs of olive oil
1 glug of balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 beef stock cube
1 tablespoon Italian herbs
1 tablespoon oregano
1 bay leaf
1 glass leftover red wine (optional)
Grated parmesan to serve

Method:

Step 1: Put red onions in a large pot or wok with olive oil and fry until beginning to soften. Next add the carrots and celery, stirring frequently. Cook until carrots are beginning to soften and add the pepper. I like to add the vinegar now too but that’s a personal thing- it’s also fine later on.

Step 2: Once the veg is suitably softened add your mince along with your spices. Brown the mince.

Step 3: Add the chopped tomatoes, stock cubes, and vinegar if you haven’t already done so. Now is also a good time to put in the wine and the diced fresh tomatoes if you’re using them.

Step 4: Simmer stirring occasionally until excess liquid is gone. This should usually take about an hour to an hour and a half depending on heat.

Step 5: Cook pasta and serve with grated parmesan (not too much! It’s not a cheap cheese!).

Cheapness rating: Pence rather than pounds.

Assuming that I spent 50p on oil, herbs and vinegar and not counting the leftover red wine (according to me it’s free if it’s from the end of a bottle from a previous night) the whole meal cost me £5.07. If I’m not a total glutton (big if) I can easily get 6 servings from it which means each serving of total comfort is about 0.85p.