This simple dinner will help you get through the busy holidays. Spaghetti Bolognese with a side dish of herbed zucchini is a simple, satisfying Italian meal. The gastronomic city of Bologna claims the origin of this dish, although it seems that every Italian cook has a favorite recipe.

While traditional meat sauce, or ragu, is usually left to simmer for hours, this recipe captures the essence without hours of preparation. The secret is to let the onions, celery and carrots cook until they are sweet, and then add the crushed canned tomatoes.

Slicing vegetables very thin helps them to cook faster; frozen chopped onions help too. Serve with some crusty Italian bread warmed in the oven.

This meal contains 570 calories per serving with 27 percent of calories from fat.

Wine suggestions: In Bologna, they drink lambrusco with this dish, but that’s a bit sweet; try a chianti or val policella.

Helpful hint

• Slice vegetables for Bolognese Sauce and Herbed Zucchini at one time in a food processor fitted with a thin slicing blade.

Countdown

• Preheat broiler.

• Place water on to boil.

• Start Bolognese Sauce

• Boil spaghetti

Shopping list

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.

To buy: 1 small bunch celery, 1 / 2 pound 96 percent lean ground beef, 1 orange, 1 package frozen chopped onions, 1 19-ounce can crushed tomatoes, 2 medium zucchini and 1 small package dried spaghetti.

Staples: Carrot, garlic, olive oil, dry white wine, dried oregano, salt and black peppercorns.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Gassenheimer: DinnerInMinutes.com