Makaronia Me Kima: Greek SPAGHETTI Bolognese
Makaronia me Kima is a Greek "Spaghetti Bolognese"; my version cooks beef in a red wine and tomato sauce with cinnamon, allspice and herbs.
This delicious recipe will take you a little over an hour to cook and prepare, and it is all very easy!
Greek Spaghetti "Bolognese"
A minced meat sauce with pasta is a well-trodden path in the world of cooking. Just like most cooking websites, my site is littered with examples.
Of course, I have a pretty classic pasta bolognese sauce (I cook mine in a slow cooker). But I have a host of other options that range from haggis bolognese to a superb spicy minced chicken pasta and a wonderful balsamic minced pork pasta.
This recipe is a little more "conventional", although not in a traditional Italian sense.
Makaronia me kima is a wonderful Greek take on spaghetti bolognese that is flavoured with cinnamon and allspice, and cooked in a tomato and red wine sauce.
It has a glorious sweeter flavour that plays beautifully with the thyme and oregano that runs throughout the dish.
To top it all off, it is delightfully simple to make and much quicker to cook than a traditional bolognese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of pasta?
Yes, of course, whilst this is traditionally served with a long "string" like pasta. This works well with everything from rigatoni to tagliatelle; it's also particularly good with bucatini.
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
Yes, go for half of a teaspoon of thyme and one teaspoon of oregano.
What sort of red wine should I use?
I like to make this recipe with a light fruity red wine. As a result, I usually try to use a Valpolicella (DOC).
But any light fruity red wine would work well; read the label, and a lighter pinot noir would be a good place to start.
Can I make this in advance?
The sauce is fantastic for making in advance; it will sit fine in the fridge for 2-3 days and will freeze for up to 3 months.
You will need a little extra liquid when you reheat the sauce. However, I would not cook the pasta in advance, it will become mushy and overcooked when you reheat it.
Serving Suggestions
Makaronia me kima is a hearty pasta dish, and I don't think that it needs a side dish.
It is quite often served with a generous grating of a Greek hard cheese called Kefalotyri. Which is pretty tricky to find in the UK unless you are relying on mail order. Pecorino and Parmesan are very different, but make an acceptable choice if you are yearning for a little cheese.
Although I am very fond of crumbling feta cheese on the top, if I feel like it.
Bread is always a nice option, and I like to mop up the juices from the bottom of the bowl with a little garlic baguette.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan.
- 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Kitchen tongs, stirring and serving spoons.
- Colander.
- Chopping board.
- Kicthen knife.
- Box grater.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Makaronia Me Kima Recipe: A Greek Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 350 g Minced Beef 12oz (between 5&10% fat)
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 1 Small Carrot 75g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 2 teaspoon Fresh Oregano
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
- 175 ml Red Wine ¾ Cup
- 10 cm Cinnamon Bark 4"
- 225 g Tin Chopped Tomatoes 8oz
- 10 g Honey ½ Tbsp
- 175 ml Beef Stock ¾ Cup
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Allspice
- ½ teaspoon Salt (plus extra to boil the pasta)
- ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 200 g Dried Spaghetti
Instructions
- Cut the onion in half, peel it and then cut it into a 3-4mm (⅛") dice.
- Grate the carrot on the coarse side of a box grater.
- Peel and finely dice the garlic cloves.
- Roughly chop the oregano leaves.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan over a high heat; when it is hot, add the olive and then fry the beef until well browned.
- Add the salt and pepper, onions, garlic and grated carrot; reduce the heat to medium, then cook for 5 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes or so.
- Add the tomato puree and cook for 90 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Throw in the cinnamon and pour in the red wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until most of it has evaporated.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and cook over a medium "bubble" until the sauce has reduced.
- 10 minutes before your sauce is ready, cook your spaghetti in well-salted boiling water. I use 1½ teaspoons of salt and a 20cm or 8" saucepan.
- Mix the cooked spaghetti through the sauce, adding 4-5 tablespoons of the cooking water to get a silky smooth coating on the pasta.
