The best bolognese

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.