Birthday’s Spaghetti Goulash

This recipe comes from my boyfriend’s mama. He used to ask for it every birthday. This Spaghetti Goulash Recipe has many different variations. You can use mince or goulash beef, you can use vegetables of your liking. You can make it more liquid or saucy, spicier or sweeter. So many things to play with. Taste and taste.
We like it sweet, beautifully saucy, finished with a spicy touch. Spaghetti Goulash – let’s begin.

Total Time: 3 hours

Shopping List

500g of goulash beef, in cubes
2 tablespoons of plain flour
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Bouquet garni – 1 bay leave, 2 black peppers, 1 new spice, 5 cloves
1 tablespoon of olive oil and butter

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled, washed and chopped
A knob of butter
150g of chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and diced
200g of cherry tomatoes, washed and diced
1 tablespoon of Ajvar/Ljutenica/baked paprika
1 tablespoon of tomato purée
A beef stock (from the meat), ½ litre approximately
Seasoning of caster sugar (up to 5 teaspoons), sea salt (around 2 teaspoons), chili flakes (around 2 splashes)

4 portions of Spaghetti and Gouda Cheese to serve it with, grated

Instructions

First, prepare the beef. Season with sea salt and pepper and sprinkle with a plain flour. Mix with a metal spoon.
Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil and butter in a deep frying pan on high heat. Add the beef and roast nicely for about 4 minutes.
Pour in around ¾ litre of hot boiling water and add bouquet garni. Lower the heat on low, cover with the lid and let it simmer for about 1 hour.

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Next, remove most of the beef stock into a coffee mug on side and continue.
Increase the heat on medium and add shallots, carrots and knob of butter. Mix for about 2 minutes and add mushrooms. Let it cook for another 2 minutes and add tomatoes and ajvar/ljutenica or paprika.
Stir in tomato purée and mix well. Pour in the beef stock if needed (I used all of it). Few at a time, so meat is nicely staring at you. Do not forget to taste. Season accordingly with little bit of salt, sugar and chili. Lower the heat, cover with the lid and continue cooking for another 2 hours until meat is nicely soft.
Meanwhile, do not forget to taste and season to your liking (more salt, sugar or chili). You can shred the meat with a fork, so it becomes nicely saucy.

Just before serving, cook spaghetti until al dente in a salted hot boiling water. Sprinkle with Gouda Cheese and good amount of Goulash. Enjoy!

Makes 4 serves.

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