A twist on the usual Italian spaghetti dish, this Asian version is tasty, quick and easy. Use it as a great mid-week meal.
Ingredients
- ice cubes
- 450g dried spaghetti
- sea salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for coating the pasta
- 2 large onions, cut into 5mm dice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- 450g lean beef mince
- 450g lean pork mince
- freshly ground black pepper
- 900g canned whole Italian plum tomatoes with their juice
- 4 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 15g Thai basil
Method
Fill a large bowl with water and add ice cubes. In a large saucepan, cook the pasta in abundant boiling salted water for about 11 minutes until al dente. Drain and add to the iced water. When the pasta is cold, drain, coat lightly with oil and set aside.
Heat the pan over a medium-high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon oil, and when hot, add the onions and garlic. Sauté, stirring, for about 2 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the beef and pork, season with salt and pepper and sauté, stirring to break up the meat, for about 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the soy sauce, tomato purée and basil and bring to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and simmer for about 25 minutes until the liquid is reduced by a quarter. Add the reserved pasta to the pan and stir gently. Transfer to a platter or four individual plates and serve.
Top tip for making Asian spaghetti
You should be able to find Thai basil in most oriental supermarkets
