Tunisian Bolonaise (Ma9rouna b sauce )

The all time favorite Pasta dish, Bolognaise is cooked every single week in our house, and we defiantly don’t get bored with it, Since it’s one of the favorite Tunisian dishes, seasoned with Harissa paste defiantly will Top the Italian Bolognaise, it’s because of the spices and the spirit that comes with this meal, the atmosphere of the house automatically changes when the smell of pasta sauce is all over home, you can even smell it 50 meters away when you walk by in the neighborhood.

We all cook approximately the same way But it’s hard to find one that tastes just like the other , The one that my Grandma used to cook is defiantly my favorite, and it’s nothing like the one that my mother nor my father cooks. (she is the one in the picture)

Honestly making the sauce has always been a struggle for me, because we ideally let it simmer for more than an hour and that is the trick to a successful bolognaise, Time! And I have a hard time waiting for my food to cook I always want something quick, now of course the healthy version of this would be using the whole wheat pasta or the gluten free one and guilt is instantly kicked out of the way

So you want to wait until the oil goes up on the surface of the sauce

Here are the 2 magic tricks:   

-cook it on low heat until the olive oil goes up on the surface

-the more Garlic the tastier

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 250g crushed and peeled tomato 
• 250g tomato paste 
• 250 g de ground beef 
• 1 garlic head 
• 100 ml of olive oil
• 1 tbs of Harissa paste
• 1 ½ tsp of coriander 
• 5 bay leaves
• 4 green peppers
• A pinch of salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat up the olive oil in a pan and add the ground beef sauté until it changes its color and add spices, garlic, and tomato paste and sauté for 5 minutes
2. Add crushed tomatoes, Harissa paste, bay leaves and 2 cups of water (½ a liter)
3. Cover it but not fully leave a space for the steam to get out and let it cook on low heat for an hour or until the oil is over the surface and add salt at the end 
4. Meanwhile cook your whole wheat pasta for 8 minutes and drain
5. 3 minutes before you turn off the heat add the green papers and some dried basil or oregano

Serve warm.