The best bolognese

Name: The best bolognese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 77 g pack Cooks’ Ingredients Beechwood Smoked Pancetta; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 stick celery, chopped; 1 carrot, grated; 200 g chestnut mushrooms; 500 g pack Essential 10% Fat British Beef Mince; 1 beef stock cube; 400 g can chopped tomatoes; 75 ml strong-brewed coffee (such as espresso); 150 ml whole milk; 1 bay leaf; 350 g fresh pappardelle, to serve; Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, to serve

Martha Collison's bolognese recipe has a twist. She was told about someone who used a double espresso as the secret ingredient to the perfect bolognese sauce and was extremely sceptical. But on testing many variations, is now blown away by the depth of flavour it brings and how harmoniously it works with the beef.

4.5 out of 5 stars(19) Rate this recipe

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare30 mins
Cook1 hr 30 mins
Total time2 hrs

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1 tbsp olive oil
77g pack Cooks’ Ingredients Beechwood Smoked Pancetta
1 large onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 carrot, grated
200g chestnut mushrooms
500g pack Essential 10% Fat British Beef Mince
1 beef stock cube
400g can chopped tomatoes
75ml strong-brewed coffee (such as espresso)
150ml whole milk
1 bay leaf
2 x 350g fresh pappardelle, to serve
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, to serve

Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a high heat, then add the pancetta. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until crisp and the fat has rendered down. Add the onion, celery and carrot. Sauté for 10-15 minutes, or until softened and reduced down.
Finely chop or blitz the mushrooms briefly in a food processor to break them down into small pieces. Add to the pan, then crumble in the mince, and stir, breaking up any large chunks using the spoon, until browned all over.
Add the stock cube, tomatoes, coffee, milk and bay leaf. Stir well, cover with a lid and simmer on the lowest heat setting for at least 1 hour. The longer you simmer, the more intense and complex the flavour becomes. Continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced down almost completely. Season to taste and remove the bay leaf.
When ready to serve, cook the pappardelle according to pack instructions. Drain, reserving a small amount of cooking water in a mug, then add the pasta to the sauce and mix well. Add a splash of the starchy pasta water to loosen the sauce so it coats each piece of pasta well. Divide between shallow bowls and serve with lots of freshly grated cheese.

Cook’s tip

Meat sauces such as bolognese benefit from an overnight stay in the fridge before reheating the next day, to allow the flavours to deepen and develop further. Try making the day before for the best results.

In episode 9, season 5 of Dish, the Waitrose podcast, Angela Hartnett uses 500g beef rump and 500g pork mince and dried porcini mushrooms instead of fresh chestnut mushrooms. To create a thicker sauce, Angela prefers tomato paste to tinned tomatoes and doesn't add the espresso.