Pasta dishes have come a long way since Mum first cooked this recipe, but that’s not to say that her version wasn’t tasty.

SPAGHETTI & MEAT SAUCE

• 500g spaghetti
  
• 500g finely minced steak
  
• 2 onions finely chopped
  
• 2 cloves
  
• 1 clove garlic
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh herbs or a good pinch of dried herbs
  
• 1 small tin tomato puree
  
• ½ cup cold water
  
• ½ cup red wine, such as claret
  
• Salt & pepper
  
• Grated cheese
  

Melt a little butter in a saucepan and fry the chopped garlic and onion until soft but not brown. Add the minced meat, salt, pepper, herbs, cloves, tomato puree, water and wine. Cover and simmer gently for ¾ hour. In a large quantity of salted water cook the spaghetti till soft, about ¾ hour. Drain and place in serving dish. Mix about a third of the sauce into spaghetti and put the rest of the sauce on top. Top with cheese.