First posted: May 3, 2017

Beef and Barley Bolognaise with Chickpea Fusilli Noodles

If you’ve been following along on my Instagram you might already know that we’re a little obsessed with these Happy Earth Chickpea Fusilli Noodles, and can’t stop finding new ways to eat them. My Beef and Barley Bolognaise is a favourite with Sophie and Isla, and it’s jam packed full of barley, lentils, carrots, courgettes and lots more – so it’s a clever way to sneak in lots of extra goodness. I make giant batches and freeze them for those days when life seems too crazy to get to the stove.
Oh, and this isn’t an Ad for the pasta, but I do want to share the love, so if you’d like to get your hands on some just head on over here and you can buy boxes online, and have them delivered to your door asap – no mess, no fuss.

Ingredients

Cooks in:30 minutes Serves:2-4

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 onion
1 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or sage (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
500g minced beef (or lamb)
100g bacon, chopped (optional)
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp tomato puree
2 tins chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup barley
1/4 cup lentils
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup grated courgettes
1/2 cup grated beetroot (optional)
1 cup stock (or 1/2 cup red wine and 1/2 cup stock)
Handful fresh basil or parsley, to serve
Freshly grated pecorino or parmesan, to serve
1 x 250g box Chickpea Fusilli Noodles (or pasta of your choice)

What to do

1. In a separate pot add boiled water and cook the pasta with a dash of olive oil according to packet instructions. Drain, rinse well under cool water to remove the starch and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium high heat. When the butter starts to foam, add in the onions, garlic and spices and cook until the onions have softened and starting to caramelise

3. Turn up the heat, add another dash of olive oil if necessary, and add in the beef and bacon. Brown the meat until golden and almost crispy

4. Add the Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and tomato puree and cook for another minute

5. Add the chopped tomatoes, barley, lentils and grated vegetables and leave to simmer with the lid ajar for 20 minutes, or longer if you have time (the longer the better as the flavours intensify). Add in stock or a wine/stock mixture for extra liquid if necessary

5. 10 minutes before serving, taste your bolognaise and season with salt, pepper and up to 1 tsp sugar or natural sweetener of your choice. Cook your pasta according to packet instructions. Drain, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately with chopped fresh herbs and a grating of cheese.