Spaghetti Alla Bolognese
A slow simmered flavourful meat sauce tossed through spaghetti
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 400 g Beef Mince
- 400 ml passata
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stick
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp of chopped rosemary around 1 large sprig
- 400 ml water more as needed
- 100 ml whole milk
- 1 rosemary sprig fried per person for garnish.
- Grated parmesan cheese
- 100 g dried spaghetti per person
- 100 g smoked diced pancetta (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by roughly peeling and chopping your vegetables then place them all in the blender and blits to a very fine dice but quite a puree
- Add the blitzed vegetables to a preheated casserole dish with olive oil and simmer on low heat. Partially cover with a lid and leave to gently soften for around 20 minutes, stirring regularly to make sure nothing sticks. The heat should be low, a gentle sizzle. The aim is not to devlep colour on the vegetables.
- Whilst the vegetables simmer, fry off the pancetta over medium high heat in another pan until it starts to colour, then add the mince and cook through until well browned, breaking it up with the back of the spoon as you go.
- Once the vegetables have softened and visibly reduced slightly, add the browned mince and stir to fully combine.
- Add the chopped rosemary, stir and cook for 2 minutes
- Add the tomato puree and cook out for 2 minutes
- Now add the glass of red wine and bring to a lively simmer - continue to cook until virtually all the red wine has reduced down to nothing
- Add the tomatoes and water then bring up to the boil and reduce to a gentle simmer
- Simmer uncovered for 2 hours, stirring regularly and adding more water if required
- After 2 hours, add the whole milk, stir and simmer for 30 minutes
- Cook the spaghetti around 10 minutes from when you want to serve.
- Taste and seaason, then add the sauce to the drained spaghetti and toss to combine thoroughly before plating in pasta bowls
- Finish with freshly grated parmesan and fried rosemary sprig (if using)
Notes
Quick Tips:
- To make the fried rosemary sprigs, simply heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook for around 15 seconds on each side, then place on kitchen towel. This can be done whilst the pasta is boiling.
- Check the sauce regularly and stir to make sure nothing is sticking or burning.
- Simmer the sauce uncovered to allow the meat sauce to reduce, thicken and come together properly
- Salt your pasta water. I use a large handful per pot of water that I use for boiling pasta. It may seem like a large amount of salt but the pasta needs it to give it flavour. It doesnt absorb it all and you can't really overdo it. Think seawater salty!