When we moved back to Newcastle, I had a rather large Sugo shaped hole in my heart and so I decided it was about time I tried to come up with my own version of the dish. The result below is the closest I could get to it tasting as good as the masters in Manchester. It’s a little higher in points for a pasta dish, but I promise you, its worth every single one of them. The recipe makes a huge batch of pasta sauce and so you can freeze plenty for another day. It’s a great dish to make family or friends as it feels so luxurious but it really doesn’t take much effort at all.

The pasta shape used in Sugo for this is usually Orecchiette and so when I can get my hands on it (usually in the Aldi special buys aisle) I always stock up. It’s the perfect shape to neatly cup the sauce and meat and is a lovely texture too. If you can find orecchiette, feel free to use the pasta of your choice.

You can get nduja in most supermarkets these days but if you are struggling have a look in your local Italian deli. This lovely spicy spreadable pork sausage takes this dish to a whole new level!

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 8 = 9 points per serving for the sauce – add extra points for your serving of pasta – I usually serve 60g dried per person for a total of 15 points.

Per serving = 246 cals, Fat 4.6g, Carbs 11.5g, Protein 14.1g 

INGREDIENTS

• 400g beef shin, raw
• 400g pork shoulder, raw
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks of celery, finely diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 50g njuda sausage (you can get this in most deli style shops now)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 250ml red wine
• 500ml beef stock (made of 1 stock cube)
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes (Mutti are the best but any will do)
• 2 bay leaves
• Spring of fresh thyme and rosemary
• 1 tsp oregano
• 50g parmesan, grated

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150c (fan assisted).

Season the beef and pork with salt and pepper then take a large sauce pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium/high heat add the beef shin to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan, pop to one side and then do the same with the pork shoulder. Remove from the pan.

Spray the same pan with 1kal again and add the carrot, onion and celery. Fry on a medium heat until everything begins to soften (6-8 minutes). Add the garlic and anchovies and fry for another minute.

Add the nduja to the pan, fry for a minute or two until the oils start releasing and it starts to breakup and then add the tomato puree. Stir, fry for a minute and then add the red wine to the pan. Reduce the wine for a few minutes and then add the beef stock, tomatoes, bay, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Add the beef and pork back to the pan (chop into a few large chunks if you are struggling to get the meat to fit), make sure the sauce covers the meat and season well. Bring to the boil and then take off the heat, add the lid and then pop in the oven for 3-3.5 hours.

Once the cooking time is up the meat should be falling apart. You can either shred the meat in the sauce or take it out the pan and shred it on a plate. Either way, once shredded, put the pan back on the heat (with the meat and sauce) and reduce the sauce if it is still too thin until it thickens up. Adding the meat will help with this anyway.

Finally add the parmesan, stir and then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with pasta of your choice.

Enjoy!

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House Sugo at Home

WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 8 = 9pp per serving for the sauce – add extra points for your serving of pasta – I usually serve 60g dried per person for a total of 15 points.

Per serving = 246 cals, 4.6g fat, 11.5g carbs, 14.1g protein

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 400 g beef shin raw
• 400 g pork shoulder raw
• 2 carrots peeled and finely diced
• 1 onion peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks of celery finely diced
• 6 cloves of garlic peeled and finely minced
• 2 anchovy fillets finely chopped
• 50 g njuda sausage you can get this in most deli style shops now
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 250 ml red wine
• 500 ml beef stock made of 1 stock cube
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes Mutti are the best but any will do
• 2 bay leaves
• Spring of fresh thyme and rosemary
• 1 tsp oregano
• 50 g parmesan grated

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 150c (fan assisted).
• Season the beef and pork with salt and pepper then take a large sauce pan, spray with 1kal and on a medium/high heat add the beef shin to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan, pop to one side and then do the same with the pork shoulder. Remove from the pan.
• Spray the same pan with 1kal again and add the carrot, onion and celery. Fry on a medium heat until everything begins to soften (6-8 minutes). Add the garlic and anchovies and fry for another minute.
• Add the nduja to the pan, fry for a minute or two until the oils start releasing and it starts to breakup and then add the tomato puree. Stir, fry for a minute and then add the red wine to the pan. Reduce the wine for a few minutes and then add the beef stock, tomatoes, bay, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Add the beef and pork back to the pan (chop into a few large chunks if you are struggling to get the meat to fit), make sure the sauce covers the meat and season well. Bring to the boil and then take off the heat, add the lid and then pop in the oven for 3-3.5 hours.
• Once the cooking time is up the meat should be falling apart. You can either shred the meat in the sauce or take it out the pan and shred it on a plate. Either way, once shredded, put the pan back on the heat (with the meat and sauce) and reduce the sauce if it is still too thin until it thickens up. Adding the meat will help with this anyway.
• Finally add the parmesan, stir and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with pasta of your choice.
• Enjoy!

The post House Sugo at Home first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

You can bake the dish at the end if you fancy (make sure to add additional points if you use more cheese) however I’ve tested it both ways and my favourite is to stir the cheese through the pasta and let it go all stringy and melty. Divine.

I used Cape Herbs and Spices Texan Steak Seasoning in this recipe but you can use any steak seasoning you can get your hands on (Schwartz do one which is available in most supermarkets). Pickle relish is also widely available, just look near the chutneys!

If you are feeling really extra you can fry up a couple of slices of bacon near the end of cooking the pasta. Remove the fat, fry in 1kal til crispy and then chop to a fine crumb, then sprinkle across the finished dish when you are dressing it. If you use bacon this would make it one extra point per person.

 POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 6 – per serving = 9 points or 441 cals, 12.3g fat, 51.6g carbs, 29.4g protein

Ingredients

500g lean (5%) beef mince, raw

1 white onion,  finely diced

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

5 tsp steak seasoning

1 beef stock cube, crumbled

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp each onion powder and garlic powder

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

400g tin of tomatoes

1 tsp salt

360g pasta (shape of your choice), dry

2 tbsp each reduced sugar and salt ketchup, American yellow mustard and pickle relish

75g light Cheddar cheese, grated

3 spring onions, sliced into thin rounds

2 large gherkins, sliced into rounds

Low calorie cooking spray

Method

1. Take a large pan (with a lid if you have one), spray with low-calorie cooking spray and add the mince. Fry on a medium/high heat for around 5 minutes until the meat starts to brown and cook through.
2. Add the onion and garlic with 2 teaspoons of the steak seasoning, fry for another few minutes, and then crumble in the stock cube and add the tomato purée.
3. Stir-fry for a minute, and then add the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce.
4. Fry for a few seconds and then add the tomatoes, 1 litre of boiling water and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and add the pasta, stirring to make sure the stock covers it.
5. Bring to the boil, pop the lid on and reduce to a simmer for 10–12 minutes until the pasta is cooked through (the pasta should absorb most of the water so the dish doesn’t end up a runny consistency).
6. Remove the lid, add the remaining steak seasoning, ketchup, mustard and pickle relish, and simmer for another 5 minutes, letting the sauce thicken up.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper and then finally stir through the cheese, spring onions and gherkins. Simmer for another minute or so to let the cheese melt, then remove from the heat.
8. Plate up and sprinkle with bacon crumb if you are having it.

The post Cheeseburger Pasta first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Sauce Serves 4 = 6sp (previously 5pp) each

n.b I serve this with 60g tagliatelle per person so the whole meal is 12sp

1 x pack of Venison Meatballs (I got mine from Aldi, you get 12 in a pack and they are 1pp per meatball!)

2 x onions, sliced

2 x carrots, peeled and roughly diced

2 x stick of celery, roughly diced

4 x cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 x peppers (colour of your choice), deseeded and diced

1 x box of mushrooms, sliced (I use chestnut)

100g tomato puree (around half a tube)

200ml red wine

400ml beef/chicken stock made with 1 stock cube (whichever you prefer, both are lovely)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or dry if you don’t have fresh)

1 x bay leaf

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Grating of nutmeg

¼ tsp sugar

Salt and Pepper

1 tbsp single cream (optional)

A few crushed chillies (optional but I love spice!)

Method

Take a large frying pan, spray with low cal cooking spray and fry your meatballs for 10-12 minutes until nicely browned on the outside. Take off the heat and pop to one side.

Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan, spray with low cal cooking spray and fry the onions for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften. Add a splash of water if needed to stop everything sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another few minutes and then add the peppers and mushrooms. Cook for another two minutes and then add the tomato puree. Give this a good stir and then cook for around 5 minutes until the tomato puree has nicely cooked and soaked into all of the vegetables.

Next add the red wine and leave to simmer for a minute or two. Then add the stock along with the oregano, rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg and bay leaf. Give a good stir, add the sugar and season well with salt and pepper. Pop the meatballs back into the sauce and then leave the whole thing to simmer on medium for around half an hour. The ragu sauce should start to reduce nicely. If you find your sauce is still to watery after 25 minutes, turn up the heat a little and this will help the reduction process along.

After your sauce has been cooking for around 15 minute, pop your pasta on to boil. This way it should be cooked by the time your sauce is ready.

Once everything is cooked, add the cream to the meatball sauce, stir and season again (if you need your sauce a little looser, add a splash of pasta water and stir in). Remove the bay leaf. Add a good grating of fresh parmesan (optional and no more than ½ tbsp) stir and voila!

Pop your pasta into bowls and serve the venison meatballs, three per person. Top with the sauce and finish with a fine grating of parmesan!

Enjoy!

The post Venison Meatballs in a Red Wine Ragu Sauce – 6sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.