Bolognese sauce with spaghetti

Our Saturday lunch menu, (my default menu actually) Spaghetti with  Bolognese sauce. 
This sauce is so versatile  that you can use it as your sauce for Shepherd's  Pie or use it when you make pizza. 
I normally make a large pot and freeze the rest and use it throughout the week for my pizzas or pies.

3 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 pips of garlic chopped
1 large carrots finely grated
3 stalks of celery finely chopped

2 bay leaves
1 tsp dry oregano or some fresh thyme
2 tsp mix dried herbs
1 medium size can  of tomatoes paste
2 large size can of  tomato sauce 

500g  beef, minced ( or any choice of your minced meat)
salt  and pepper to taste
1 tsp chili powder or  paprika
2 cups of chicken broth or beef cube
1 1/2 cups of water

In a deep pot you, heat oil on a medium heat.
Add the chopped onion and garlic and saute until just translucent.

In goes the carrot and celery. Saute over medium heat until soft, stirring occasionally about five minutes.
Time to invite  the minced beef  to the pot and stir well.
Add salt and pepper to taste, stir, and cook until the meat has lost its raw, red color. 

Now the tomato sauce, paste,water  and chicken broth. 
Cover pot and let it cook in a low heat for about 30 min, stir every now and then.

Do be careful when you open the pot cover (hot lava bubbling out)  and do wear a mitten (you'll thank me).

A good indication that the sauce is done, is when you see oil floating on the surface and when the sauce has reduced down about 2 in, like the pic above.

While the sauce is cooking, boil some water in a deep pot with a generous amount of salt added. 
Add the spaghetti or any pasta of your choice and remember not to over cook.
Drain the pasta and return it back to the pot. Pour generous amount of olive oil and mix well. 
Cover the pot.

For serving, pour generous amount of sauce over the pasta and add some parmigiano cheese over spaghetti and drizzle some olive oil over it.

Enjoy...jue