Recipe: Turkey Mince Courgetti Bolognese (Gluten Free) #TipsTuesdays 35

Good morning (or whatever time of day it happens to be for you now :)), today I have another recipe for you for Tips Tuesdays 35. My husband said I haven't included enough of the staple recipes that I cook often here, so I have promised to rectify this. I've also tried to standardise my recipe labelling so they are easy to find :).

Turkey Mince Courgetti Bolognese (Gluten Free)

This recipe used turkey mince instead of beef mince and courgette (zucchini) spaghetti instead of pasta - so it is a very healthy version of spaghetti bolognese and it is gluten free. You could use Quorn mince or soya mince and check your Worcestershire sauce (many makes use anchovies) to make this vegetarian as well. If you hate courgetti, just use spaghetti, but it won't be quite as good for you ;).

N.B. If you haven't tried courgetti, I recommend it, even if you are not fond of courgette. My mother doesn't like courgette as a side vegetable, but done this way she thought it was lovely.

Feeds 2-3

Ingredients

Bolognese

• 1 tblspn sunflower/vegetable oil (or you can use spray oil to reduce the calories even more - but I think that's overkill)
• 2 large field mushrooms
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced (I use the stuff in a tube)
• 340g turkey breast (or Quorn) mince (thigh mince is okay, but disintegrates more - so for texture breast mince is better)
• 500g passata (this is 1 box per Morrisons - if yours comes in a tin and is not exactly the same amount, don't worry, it will be fine)
• 1 tspn dried oregano
• smiggen of chilli paste (optional and to taste)
• 2 small beef stock cubes or 1 large (small = Oxo = NOT gluten free, large = Knorr = gluten free)
• splash of sweet sherry (optional)
• splash of Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins is gluten free but not vegetarian - here is a recipe for homemade vegetarian worcestershire sauce or you can buy a vegetarian version or just use soy sauce instead :))
• fresh ground black pepper

Courgetti (Zucchini noodles)

• 2 courgettes (zucchini) (if you are serving for 3, add another courgette - it should be about 1 per person)
• 1 tspn garlic powder
• squeeze of lime (optional)

Instructions

1. Chop the field mushrooms into bite sized pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and add the mushrooms and 1 clove of the garlic. Stir until coated in oil and then pop a lid on and leave until the mushrooms are giving out their moisture. (Adding some of the garlic to the mushrooms, makes their flavour pop, rather than just adding it later).
3. Add the mince and stir to break it up.
4. Add the rest of the garlic, the oregano and the chilli paste (if you are using it - not too much though, you don't want chilli, just a little hint in the background) and stir to mix in.
5. Crumble in the stock cube(s) and stir to coat the mince.
6. Add the passata, then rinse out the box/tin with a little water and add that too, stirring to combine.
7. Add the sherry, the Worcestershire sauce and the pepper, stir and pop a lid on, turning the heat down to leave it to simmer for about 20 mins to allow the flavours to combine. (You can add extra salt as well if you wish, but I find the Worcestershire sauce gives enough for us).
8. Spiralize the courgette into noodles using the large noodle setting (if you don't have a spiralizer, I believe Sainsburys and Waitrose sell pre-spiralized courgette). 
9. In a large pan spray some oil, or dribble just a little oil in the bottom, heat and add the courgette.
10. Add the garlic powder and allow the courgetti to cook with the lid on for 3 mins.
11. Add the lime and cook until the courgetti is releasing its water (between another 30secs and 1 min).
12. Transfer the courgetti to the bolognese leaving the water behind (or is will make the sauce too wet) and mix in for 20 seconds or so (you don't want to over cook the courgetti).
13. Serve in bowls.