When catering for a crowd and having no idea what time the troops will arrive (teens and race teams seem to be unpredictable like that) it helps to have a meal that isn't fiddly and can stand on the stove until needed. I'm terrible at following recipes when it comes to these things but I'll share how this one looked (it was polished off in one sitting so I think they approved :) )
4 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, crushed / chopped
1.5kg Lean beef mince
1kg tomatoes (I had a massive jar of canned tomatoes from the garden but any canned tomatoes will do)
3 pots of tomato paste (this isn't a science!)
1kg carrots, grated
5ml each Thyme, Rosemary, parsley, basil, origanum (I used some of these fresh from the garden - increasing quantity for fresh herbs accordingly...)
10ml sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste
15ml Worcester Sauce
20ml olive oil
Heat oil in a BIG pot and gently fry onions and garlic. Once softened add mince and stir until browned through. Add all the other ingredients - turn down to low once heated through and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve over spaghetti - the kids love grated cheddar on top but I prefer some parmegano or pecorino for a bit more adult flavour.
I cooked up a kilo of spaghetti for this quantity - I did it in one go but should really have divided it in two batches even though I have pots that are big enough...
This fed 10 adults and 2 sixteen year olds with one single solitary portion making its' way into a tupperware for my lunch today (I had to hide it or I probably would have had to think of another lunch to make...!)
