Spaghetti Squash With Super Thick Bolognese - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
salt & fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for topping if desired
1/4 lb thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400\u00b0F.
Place the spaghetti squash halves, cut side up, onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons EVOO, salt and pepper. Turn the squash over so they're cut side down and roast until the flesh is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Once cooked, use a fork to loosen the squash strands up. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons EVOO, ground black pepper, and a sprinkle of cheese. Reserve squash in the shells.
While the squash is roasting, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the sirloin to the pan and cook until golden brown, 6-7 minutes. Add the carrots, onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.
Season everything with salt and pepper, and add the tomato paste, cooking it until golden brown and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the red wine and beef stock scraping the bottom for any bits that may be stuck, and cook sauce until thickened and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
To serve, ladle meat sauce on top of each squash half and garnish each with fresh basil, parsley and additional Pecorino-Romano cheese.