Pasta a la Greg

Sorry my ingredients are a bit wishy washy - I just grab "enough".  Serves 6 or more.

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 small zucchini - cut lengthways, then slice
• 1 capsicum sliced - prefer red, green will do
• 1/2 a bag mushrooms - sliced
• 700g mince
• 700ml jar passata - I use Cirio which is low-sodium and cheap near me
• tablespoon minced garlic
• "mixed herbs" - I use the Hoyts mixed herbs - could just be oregano if you're short.  Probably around a teaspoon to a tablespoon - I just shake it until I'm happy
• red wine - around a glass
• some olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat frying pan to be fairly high.  Drop a little bit of oil on it and fry the zucchini and capsicum.  You want to keep the heat high, you're looking to just char them a little.  Take the veges from the pan and set aside.
2. Add a little more oil and drop the mushrooms on.  Drop the temperature to low after a minute or so.  Fry until they shrink a bit and some moisture comes out - eg almost cooked.  Set the mushrooms aside (I normally just drop them on the zucchini and capsicum and cover it with a lid).
3. Bring the pan back up to high temperature - drop the mince on the pan and sear it on both sides, then break it up and lower the temperature.  Stir the mince until its no longer red.
4. Drop the garlic and mixed herbs onto the mince and stir to mix - bring up the temperature to high.
5. Add the red-wine, mix it around under high-heat.  Wine should be boiling.  Add the passata and stir fast it until the mix starts to bubble.  Drop the temperature at that point.
6. Simmer.  Add the veges back and mix well.  If you like less well done veges add them later during the simmering.  Total simmering time should be at least 10 minutes.  I usually put the pasta on when the passata sauce mix starts bubbling, so the sauce is done when the pasta is ready (or the other way round ;-)