I’ve already waxed lyrical about the wonder of ‘zoodles‘ in an earlier post. I shan’t do it again (well maybe just a bit…) but they’re brilliant! I don’t even mind the silly name, they’re so good.

Bolognese has rather been off the menu of late, because it really needs something to go with it. Salad doesn’t cut the mustard here & steamed vegetables lack the ability to soak up all the sauce. As a result, I’d stopped making it, which is a pity as it’s cheap, quick & delicious! Stopped that is, until I discovered courgette-spaghetti…!

I’ve explained how straightforward this is in a separate post all of its own. The below therefore chiefly details how to make a low-carb bolognese sauce.

I really think you should  try this dish. When you stop having an old favourite because your dietary requirements forbid it; food very much begins to lose its charm. Inversely, when the same foodstuff can once again be welcomed back, it feels as if the prodigal son has returned! Well in our house, the red-carpet’s rolled out and the flags are flying for spaghetti. Long may she reign!

Place a thick-bottomed pan on the hob and leave it to heat through. Season your minced beef and then add to the pan. You really need the pan to be good and hot. If it’s too cold, the meat will start to steam, rather than seal. Supermarket mince especially can give off an unpalatable smell of ‘wet dog’, if it’s allowed to steam in this way. You want to hear a good strong sizzle from the pan, and the odour should be one of cooking steak, not brine!

Leave to seal on each side before stirring. Once sealed, add a finely sliced onion and chopped garlic & leave to cook until the onion has started to soften. Don’t pour off the fat – we’re on a ketogenic diet here, so it is very welcome. De-glaze the pan with a small glug of red-wine or port and then stir in a drained can of tomatoes.

Crumble in a stock cube or two and season. Dried or fresh herbs can be added, as can a very small squeeze of tomato purée. If you’re not trying to lose weight or are a diabetic who has a higher carb-threshold than I can currently manage; you can be more liberal with the wine, tomatoes and purée. Add a little water (just enough to cover) so that the mix doesn’t get too dry. Feel free to add any low-carb vegetables such as mushroom, spinach or green-beans to the mix; depending on your preference. Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes until the sauce is rich and thickened.

Meanwhile sauté your courgette-spaghetti in a little butter. Two minutes should do it. You’ll need to add a little salt, but this can be easily adjusted when you check the zoodles to see if they’re done. You want them to still retain an al dente bite; just as you would with any pasta. No-one likes a plateful of texture-less slop!

Serve the noodles into a bowl, then ladle on a generous serving of bolognese sauce. Top with an almost indecent amount of grated cheese et voila! Dinner is served.

Thank you for reading and bon ap!

Adam.