by Patsy Warner

Created on: January 07, 2007   Last Updated: May 04, 2007

After a night of indulgence and pringles we discovered a delicious new twist to an old Italian favorite using the party left overs - and we call it spaghetti con i overs di sinistra ( spaghetti with left overs).

It is loosely based on Spaghetti Bolognaise, one of Italy's many delicious regional spaghetti dishes. The ragu (sauce) originating, of course, from Bologna. Although it has to be said the original squisito (delicious) dish, ragu alla Bolognese, bears little resemblance to what the English and American's now eat. This dish was prepared lovingly with carefully chopped vegetables, hours of simmering the crushed meat in milk (to mellow the acidity of the raw tomatoes added later) and red wine. A recipe that ends with fresh chopped tomatoes so that they do not overwhelm the subtle medley of flavors.

Now I don't know about you but no matter how delicious that sounds, the night after a party I do not have the patience or budget to produce that. So creativity kicks in. There is minced beef, some left over tomato salsa, frozen peas and.... the rest is history. Try it - it really does taste good.

Total time: 1 hour

Servings: 4 to 6

Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

250g minced beef

1 nearly full tub of tomato salsa

1 chopped onion

1 chopped carrot

4 table spoons frozen peas

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 tin plum tomatoes - chopped

Topping (optional):
A desert bowl full of Parmesan cheese
Left over pringles

1. In a wok, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the mince and onion and sprinkle with salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the carrots and peas and fry for 5 more minutes.

2. Add the wine and cook until it evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salsa sauce and simmer, stirring often, for 30 minutes.

Serve over fresh pasta or dried spaghetti according to taste and budget. Top with cheese and crisps. Mop up any juices with fresh bread and why not enjoy a hair of the dog and drink some more red wine with your four closest friends.

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