Luckily, I had these:
1kg beef mince, frozen and on offer (the defrost function of the microwave saving dinner once more)
A couple of celery stalks
Garlic paste
A couple of onions
A carrot
A little olive oil
A beef stock pot dissolved in about 400ml water
A bottle of port - you don't need to use the whole bottle!
Bay leaves
A sprig of rosemary (because it was in the garden)
Oregano
Salt and pepper
Two tins of chopped tomatoes
Tomato puree (you might not need this, if the sauce is sweet enough for you)
Wholewheat fusili
A little leftover parsley.
And what arose from this was easy and - even better - got better the longer I left it and pretended to revise.
Dice the onions, celery and carrot and fry over a low heat in a little oil (and butter...) in a good-sized casserole until they begin to soften. Then add a good squirt of garlic paste, or add a couple of sliced cloves of garlic if you have Meanwhile, brown the mince in batches in a non-stick pan, and drain in a colander.
When this mince is browned, stir into the vegetables and add the herbs, and a good glug of port - maybe 250ml. Let this cook over a medium heat until the port has nearly reduced completely, then add the beef stock and let this cook down a little.
Finally, add the two tins of tomatoes and the puree. Cover the casserole and let this cook on a low-medium heat, so the sauce is simmering. I'd say at least for 45 minutes, but the longer you leave it the tastier it gets - and it's even better the next day. Season to taste before serving.
Serve with pasta and parsley.