‘On one occasion Bertie and his father, Stuart, embark on a long-awaited fishing trip in the Pentland Hills but become lost in the haar and seek shelter in a farmhouse. There lives Wee Andy, a real boy. Together, he and Bertie share penknives, spaghetti bolognese, sandwiches, ice cream and custard – and Bertie is introduced to the delights of Irn-Bru.’
Recipe taken from The 44 Scotland Street Cookbook
By Anna Marshall, with Alexander McCall Smith
Published by Polygon
Bertie’s Pentland Adventure Bolognese
‘Bertie’s happiness was complete. He had been vouchsafed a glimpse of what life might be; a life of freedom, of adventure, of penknives, of Irn-Bru. It all seemed too good to be true, and in his heart he knew that it was not true. The next day he would return to Scotland Street and the spell would be broken. There would be more psychotherapy, more yoga, more Italian conversazione with his mother.’ – The Importance of Being Seven
Mercifully, little Bertie Pollock is sometimes offered a taste of freedom. On one occasion Bertie and his father, Stuart, embark on a long-awaited fishing trip in the Pentland Hills but become lost in the haar and seek shelter in a farmhouse. There lives Wee Andy, a real boy. Together, he and Bertie share penknives, spaghetti bolognese, sandwiches, ice cream and custard – and Bertie is introduced to the delights of Irn-Bru.
Serves: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
200g (7oz) beef mince
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped 75ml (2 ½ fl oz) red wine
400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato puree
250ml (8 ½ fl oz) beef stock
½ tsp caster sugar
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
400g (14oz) spaghetti
40g (1oz) parmesan cheese to serve
Method
The 44 Scotland Street Cookbook by Anna Marshall (with Alexander McCall Smith) is published by Polygon, priced £12.99.
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