For non-Somalis, the revelation that one of Somalia's national dishes looks like Spaghetti Bolognese is culturally confusing. Of course its not traditional Spaghetti Bolognese, but a spiced pasta and meat sauce dish that evolved during the Italian colonisation of the country in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. This period saw a large influx of Italian settlers to Mogadishu and pasta became a national staple. It remains to this day one of the meal accompaniments of choice among Somalis, alongside rice and canjeero (a bread like pancake similar to the Ethiopian anjera).
Often simply referred to as 'Baasto', the Somali ragu is a mouth watering blend of fragrant spices; both sweet and savoury, topped with a mild heat from the fresh chilli. The sauce begins with a familiar base (to Europeans): fried onions and garlic, meat and tomato sauce, but hereafter the seasoning and balance of flavours shifts beautifully. Classic Somali spices (many of which appear in the local spice blend Xawaash) of cinnamon, cardamon, turmeric and chilli provide a savoury, earthy and sweet flavour combination so moreish that whilst writing this blog post we made the dish twice!
Baasto also uses a lot more oil (olive oil, naturally) than would be found in its European counterparts of Bolognese or English 'mince and onions'. This hints at a cooking style reflective of a longer history of the Asian subcontinent's influence on Somalia than the more recent Italian colonists. The sauce is cooked until the oil separates from the dish and floats to the top (common in Indian cookery). At this point it can be spooned away for those looking for a lighter dish, or stirred in for indulgent richness.
Traditionally, like many main meals in Somalia, the dish is served alongside a banana. The banana is a key component of a Somali meal and is usually eaten with savoury dishes, mashed in the hand and scooped up with the main substance. The banana offers a welcome sweetness to a cuisine that is often fiery with fresh green chilli or bright red scotch bonnets. For the most authentic serving of Baasto then, the meat sauce is pilled on top of the spaghetti and accompanied by one or two bananas on the side.
For those for whom a banana is unusual, and who miss the salty topping of the Italian version's parmesan, a similar salty hit can be achieved by salted sunflower seeds and crispy onions. Simply fry some additional slivers of onions until dark brown then add a handful of sunflower seeds a minute before you remove the pan from the heat to a gentle toast. Generously salt and then sprinkle over the Baasto.
As with most Somali dishes, we highly recommend a liberal scattering of coriander leaves on top.
But we'd love to know more about how you eat your Baasto.
Perhaps you prefer extra fresh chillis or chilli sauce on the side? Any thoughts on the additional spice flavours of coriander and cumin? Is the banana an essential part of any Baasto dish or do you have other accompaniments? Does anyone make a Somali style garlic bread - the indispensable side in Italian restaurants?! Please get in touch and let us know your thoughts on the recipe and share with us your versions on Instagram with the hashtag #leopardbite. If you have any recipe suggestions you would like us to make get in touch and if we make it, we will tag you back!
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 onions, finely chopped
500g minced beef
500g fresh tomatoes (or 2 tins of chopped tomatoes)
2 tbsp tomato puree
Handful of coriander (cilantro) stalks and leaves, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, mashed
1 tsp salt
½ tsp brown sugar or honey
3 tbsp olive oil
500 grams of spaghetti (or other pasta)
Spices
½ tsp cardamom powder or 6- 7 bashed cardamom pods
½ tsp cinnamon powder or 1 small cinnamon stick
½ tbsp of turmeric
½ tbsp of paprika
1 green chilli, chopped (you can add more or omit entirely depending on your tolerance!)
Method
If using fresh tomatoes, bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the tomatoes and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, blanch in cold water briefly and slip the skins off. Return the tomatoes to the empty pan and mash with a fork or blitz with a hand blender.
Using a large non-stick pan (deep frying pan or heavy bottomed casserole dish will be fine) and fry the onions in one tbsp of oil until lightly browned (about ten minutes) over a medium heat. Add beef breaking up the mince into smaller slivers with a wooden spoon until all the pink areas have turned a light grey/brown. Continue to stir in with the onions so it does not stick together (around 5 minutes).
Add the tomato puree, and stir until meat is coated and the raw smell of the puree has gone (2 minutes) then pour over the tin tomatoes or your mashed tomatoes. Continue to cook on a medium low-heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom.
Add all the spices, remaining oil, garlic, salt, sugar and chilli to the pan. Reserving a few leaves, stir in the chopped coriander stalks and leaves to the mix.
Keeping an eye on the pan, and stirring occasionally, leave to cook for a further 15 minutes or so. By this point the tomatoes will have cooked for almost an hour and will have lost most of their acid (if using very fresh tomatoes in season this will take less time) and the oil in the dish will have begun to separate from the sauce.
At this point you can either spoon away some of the oil for a slightly healthier option, or continue to stir it back into the mix. Either way, keep a close eye on the sauce at this time as it is ready, but relatively dry. With only the oil as lubrication as the water has evaporated, be wary of the sauce sticking to the pan and turn the heat down low. Keep the sauce warm, whilst you make the pasta.
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the spaghetti. Cook to the packet's instructions but usually 9-11 minutes is sufficient.
Place pasta on plate, adding the meat sauce on top; or stir through depending on your preference. Scatter over the remaining coriander leaves.
Serve with your choice of banana, chilli sauce or other accompaniments.
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