SIMON'S BOLOGNESE WITH WHATEVER PASTA SHAPE YOU DESIRE

Simon Chen

Associate Consultant, Health Analytics, London

What this dish means to me

I chose this dish because I think it tastes amazing without needing tons of effort—just a bit of time and patience. It’s a great starting point for anyone wanting to move away from jarred sauces and get comfortable in the kitchen, especially on a weekend. It’s also very forgiving, which makes it less intimidating. Plus, who doesn’t love a big bowl of pasta?

SERVES

MINUTES

180

DIFFICULTY

4/10

INGREDIENTS

1 large onion

1 carrot, peeled

2 celery stalks

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

500g of beef mince

75g of pancetta

2 bay leaves

pinch of nutmeg

2 cups (500ml) of chicken stock

1/3 cup (80g) of tomato puree

1 cup (250ml) of dry white wine (see note 1)

1 cup (250ml) of whole milk

500g of pasta (see note 2)

Salt and pepper to taste

Note 1: Traditionally, Bolognese is made with white wine, however, you can substitute for a red-wine if you prefer the flavours

Note 2: If you want a higher quality pasta to complement this recipe, look for bronze-die pasta in stores, which tend to retain sauces better and release more starch to help create a more coherent sauce.

METHOD

Step 1

Chop your onion, carrot, and celery into a small dice, about 5mm square, the finer the better. Alternatively, if you’re not confident with your cutting skills you could substitute this for 250g of frozen pre-cut Soffritto or mirepoix mix (do not defrost this).

Step 2

In a large saucepan or pot, heat your olive oil in a pan over medium heat (about 1-2 mins). When hot, break your beef into clumps and add to the pan before seasoning lightly with salt. Leave the beef to brown, stirring occasionally, around 6-8 minutes. Once browned, remove the beef onto a plate using a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pan.

Step 3

Add your pancetta directly into the pot with the residual oil and let brown, stirring occasionally for 6-8 minutes. The aim is to render the fat out of the pancetta.

Step 4

Once your fat has been rendered, add your chopped vegetables (or frozen mix) to the pan and cook, stirring regularly, for 5-7mins, until the vegetables have started to soften and stick to the pan. (Note: If using 20% fat beef mince, I would strain some of the rendered fat from the pancetta (leaving around 2 tbsp), but if using a leaner blend of mince, then we want to retain the additional fat to help with the unctuousness and mouthfeel of the sauce)

Step 5

Once your vegetables have softened, add your beef back in, and pour in your red wine. As the wine reduces and the alcohol cooks out, use a wooden spoon and begin breaking the beef mince into small pieces. We’re aiming for a very fine mince.

Step 6

Once your wine has evaporated, add in the tomato paste, and let cook down for a few of minutes, until it begins to brown, then add your bay leaves, nutmeg, and stir.

Step 7

Mix in your chicken stock and milk, then reduce the heat and let cook uncovered until the meat is tender and the sauce looks rich and thick, almost like its too dry (ideally 2-2.5 hours). There shouldn’t be any rapid bubbling, only the occasional bubble. Remove the bay leaf, then taste and season accordingly.

Step 8

Bring a separate large pot to a boil. Once boiling, salt generously, then add your pasta. Cook your pasta until it is 2 minutes shy of al-dente according to package instructions.

Step 9

Add your pasta to the awaiting sauce, along with 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and a healthy shaving of parmesan, tossing and mixing until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce looks too dry, add some more pasta water, ¼ cup at a time.

Step 10

Plate up and top with more parmesan to your liking.