Everyone loves a good bolognese but not everyone makes it the proper way. I wanted to try and get as close as i could to the bolognese that you would find in Bologna Italy. That means no worcestershire sauce, no mushrooms and most importantly no spaghetti. That’s right, the traditional way is served with tagliatelle.

Ingredients

500g beef mince

155g diced pancetta

1 onion

1 carrot

1 celery Stick

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tbl spoons of Tomato puree

200ml red wine

300ml beef stock

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of rosemary

500g fresh tagliatelle

salt and pepper to taste

parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves to top

Method

Finely chop your onion, celery and carrot and fry in a little olive oil for around five minutes. add your pancetta and garlic to the pan and continue to cook for another five minutes.

add your minced beef and allow to brown, making sure all the juices from the meat have evaporated.

Pour in your red wine and continue cooking for a further five minutes.

Next add your tomato puree and beef stock and mix until combined.

place your bay leaf and sprig of rosemary into the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste then cook on a low heat with the lid on for around 1 1/2 hours. If you find that it is becoming too dry, pour a little water in to loosen up.

Just before serving add your tagliatelle to a pan of salted boiling water and cook according to packet instructions. If using dry pasta, you will need to do this step around 15 minutes before your bolognese is ready.

add your pasta to the bolognese and mix well. Your bolognese should be a very thick consistency, this way it will cling to your pasta.

serve with shavings of parmesan and basil leaves.