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.

A few weeks ago I had a pack of lean pork mince in the freezer and so I thought, yep, lets add it to that, and this recipe was born.

It might seem a bit strange adding milk but milk is actually quite a traditional ingredient to add to a ragu (particularly Bolognese). Not only does it help make a lovely rich sauce, it also tenderises the meat and takes some of the acidity out of the tomatoes.

The key to this dish is a low, long simmer. It helps to thicken up the ragu nicely and make sure the flavours are deep and delicious.

If you don’t want to add the wine, just leave it out, you don’t need to replace it with anything. This will make the ragu 6sp per serving instead of 7. I serve this with 60g (dried) of pasta per person for a total of 13sp for the whole dish. I do add a cheeky shaving or parmesan to the top too though!

If you can’t get your hands on any of the whole nduja, you can get nduja paste in lots of supermarkets now, I got it recently in M&S. You can also get it online (I’ve had it from Amazon before and popped it into my shop if anyone would like to get it from there!!).

This is a great dish if you want left overs for the next day, or to pop in the freezer. Tossing the sauce through the pasta makes it go much further and I like it when theres a nice pasta to meat ratio (my hubbie on the other hand, would have piles of meat)!

Give this one a whirl, it’s a real treat.

SMART POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serves 6 = 7sp per serving (on all plans)

INGREDIENTS

500g lean pork mince, raw

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

1 onion, peeled and finely diced

2 sticks celery, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced

50g nduja sausage (or 2 tbsp nduja paste), roughly chopped into 1cm chunks

2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted for 30 seconds in a dry pan and then ground to powder

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp crushed chillies

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp tomato puree

125ml red or white wine (optional)

1 chicken stock cube

400ml skimmed milk

400g tin tomatoes

Bay leaf

Salt and pepper

100g fresh parmesan

Small bunch fresh basil, roughly torn (reserve a little to dress)

METHOD

Pop the pork mince into a large frying pan, season with salt and pepper and fry until the mince is nicely browned.

Add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic and fry for another 5-6 minutes until the carrot starts to soften.

Add the nduja, ground fennel, oregano, crushed chillies, lemon zest and tomato puree. Stir, fry for another minute and then add the wine. Simmer until the wine reduces by half.

Crumble the chicken stock cube into the pan. Add the milk, tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on a low heat for 2 hours (no lid), stirring regularly. The sauce should reduce nicely over time.

Pop the pasta on when the ragu has 10 minutes left to cook.

Finally, add the parmesan and basil to the ragu, stir and remove from the heat. Season to taste.

Serve the ragu with the pasta (I like to toss it through before serving) and dress with the reserved basil.

Enjoy!

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Pork, Nduja and Fennel Pasta

Serves 6 = Per serving

7sp on all plans

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

• 500 g lean pork mince raw
• 1 carrot peeled and finely diced
• 1 onion peeled and finely diced
• 2 sticks celery finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely minced
• 50 g nduja sausage or 2 tbsp nduja paste, roughly chopped into 1cm chunks
• 2 tsp fennel seeds toasted for 30 seconds in a dry pan and then ground to powder
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp crushed chillies
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 125 ml red or white wine optional
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 400 ml skimmed milk
• 400 g tin tomatoes
• Bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 100 g fresh parmesan
• Small bunch fresh basil roughly torn (reserve a little to dress)

Instructions

• Pop the pork mince into a large frying pan, season with salt and pepper and fry until the mince is nicely browned.
• Add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic and fry for another 5-6 minutes until the carrot starts to soften.
• Add the nduja, ground fennel, oregano, crushed chillies, lemon zest and tomato puree. Stir, fry for another minute and then add the wine. Simmer until the wine reduces by half.
• Crumble the chicken stock cube into the pan. Add the milk, tomatoes and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on a low heat for 2 hours (no lid), stirring regularly. The sauce should reduce nicely over time.
• Pop the pasta on when the ragu has 10 minutes left to cook.
• Finally, add the parmesan and basil to the ragu, stir and remove from the heat. Season to taste.
• Serve the ragu with the pasta (I like to toss it through before serving) and dress with the reserved basil.
• Enjoy!

The post Pork, Nduja and Fennel Ragu first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.

Ingredients

Serves 2 = 11sp (previously 10pp) each

Fresh Egg Noodles (I use half a 375g pack from Tesco) or vermicelli noodles

1 Kal spray

140g pork steak, all fat removed and cut into thin strips

100g raw, peeled prawns (I use frozen)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2.5 cm fresh root ginger, finely grated

1 onion, thinly sliced

6 spring onions cut into 2.5cm pieces

Any stir fry vegetables (I use pepper, spinach and sugar snap peas)

1 tbsp curry powder

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

Salt and pepper

1 beaten egg

1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped

2 limes, quartered

Method

Spray a large frying pan with 1Kal spray and fry the pork for 4-5 minutes (or until its cooked). Transfer to a plate. In the same pan add the prawns and fry for 2-3 minutes (if frozen add a little water) and then transfer to the plate with the pork (I’ve made it without the prawns a few times too and it’s just as nice!).

Spray the pan with 1 KAL again and over a lower heat, fry the garlic and ginger for about a minute (you might want to add a little water so it doesn’t stick to the pan).Then stir in the onion, spring onion and stir fry vegetables and chilli and cook until all the veg are nice and softened. Add the curry powder and carry on cooking for another minute then add the soy sauce, salt and pepper and stir fry for another minute. Add the pork and prawns back in at this point and warm through.

Then push everything to one side and pour the egg in, let sit for a second and then mix to scramble. Once the egg is cooked mix everything together and squeeze in a the juice of a quarter of the lime. Add your beansprouts at this point if you are having them.

Meanwhile cook your noodles in another pan (I just splash a little water in a frying pan and heat them up and sprinkle with a little soy, curry powder and lime). Pop the noodles in your bowl, top with your stir fry mix and finish with a large squirt of lime!

It’s lovely with the lime so I always do a few extra quarters of lime to serve on the plate.

Enjoy!

The post Singapore Vermicelli – 11sp first appeared on Slimming Kitchen Secrets.