Pasta Bolognese

Begin by heating a large, ovenproof pan or casserole dish over medium heat. Once hot, add the beef steak mince – using beef is key for achieving that authentic beef bolognese flavour. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned on all sides.

As the beef mince cooks, finely chop your onion and set it aside. Once the mince is fully browned (drain off any excess fat if you like), add the chopped onion to the pan. Cook the onion with the beef mince until it softens and becomes translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

While the mince and onion are cooking, peel and finely chop a clove of garlic. Once the onion is cooked, add the garlic to the pan and stir for about a minute until fragrant – this aromatic base is crucial in any good ragu recipe.

Next, add a pinch of dried basil and oregano to the pan and stir briefly to release their aroma. Pour the red wine into the pan, stirring well and scraping the bottom of the pan to lift any flavourful browned bits (deglazing). Let the wine bubble and reduce by about half.

Finally, add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and stir well to combine all the ingredients, creating the rich base for your sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Ensure all the ingredients are well combined. Cover the ovenproof dish with a lid (or use foil if it doesn't have one). Place the dish carefully into a preheated oven and bake at 150°C (130°C Fan/Gas Mark 2) for 3 hours. This slow cooking time is essential for developing the deep flavours and tender texture characteristic of a good ragu.

Once the cooking time is complete, remove the dish from the oven and let it rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes before serving. This versatile pasta meat sauce is now ready. Serve this rich beef bolognese generously spooned over your favourite pasta shape.

While tagliatelle is traditional, it also makes a fantastic bolognese spaghetti dish or any hearty pasta ragu meal.