Spaghetti with Cypriot “Bolognese”

30 April 2026
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Serves
6
prepTime
Prep time
20 minutes
totalTime
Total time
70 minutes
Ingredients

For the pasta:

  •  1 pack (500g) spaghetti or any pasta of your choice
  •  1 teaspoon salt
  •  1 stock cube (pasta or vegetable)


For the minced meat sauce:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  •  1 kg beef mince
  •  1 cup dry onion, finely chopped
  •  3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  •  1 cup carrot, finely grated
  •  1 cup dry red wine
  •  1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
  •  2 cans (2 x 400g) chopped tomatoes
  •  2 bay leaves
  •  1 cinnamon stick
  •  1 teaspoon paprika
  •  1 teaspoon oregano
  •  1½ teaspoons salt
  •  ½ teaspoon pepper
  •  1 beef stock cube, dissolved in ½ cup hot water
  •  1 cup warm milk
  •  ½ cup parsley, finely chopped

 

For serving:

  •  Dry salted anari or halloumi or parmesan cheese

 

Method
  1. In a pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until softened and slightly glossy. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the grated carrot and continue sautéing for 2–3 minutes.
  2. Add the minced meat and let it brown well without stirring constantly, so it develops color and deep flavor. Stir occasionally until it caramelizes. Deglaze with the wine and allow the alcohol to fully evaporate.
  3. Add the tomato paste and cook it on the bottom of the pot for 1–2 minutes to release its aromas. Add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, cinnamon, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
  4. Pour in the stock and milk, stir well, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 45–50 minutes, until the sauce thickens and develops depth. If needed, add a little pasta water.
  5. At the end, add the parsley and stir until the sauce becomes glossy and well combined.

For the pasta:

  1. Bring plenty of water to a boil in a pot, add salt and the stock cube, and stir until dissolved. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions (al dente). Reserve some pasta water before draining.
  2. Add the spaghetti to the minced meat sauce, pour in a little of the pasta water, and gently mix until well combined.
  3. Serve sprinkled with parsley and plenty of grated dry anari or halloumi or parmesan cheese.
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