Spaghetti bolognese

Ingredients

Pasta

• 400g tipo 00 flour, plus extra for dusting
• 4 eggs

For the bolognese sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 rashers bacon, finely chopped
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 2-3 sprigs rosemary leaves picked and finely chopped
• 500g beef mince
• 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
• small pack basil leaves picked, ¾ finely chopped and the rest left whole for garnish
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 125ml red wine
• 6 cherry tomatoes sliced in half

Method

Pasta

1. Sift Tipo 00 flour into a KitchenAid Stand mixer bowl attached with the dough hook
2. Break eggs in a cup and mix in with a fork,
3. Add eggs to the flour and start mixing slowly, starting on speed 1 and working your way up with the hook
4. When the dough starts to come together tip onto a bench and knead for about 5 minutes, dusting your hands or the bench with a little flour if it starts to stick, until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Cut dough into six pieces and flatten one piece slightly into a neat rectangle, wrapping the remaining pieces in plastic wrap to prevent them drying out.
6. Attach the pasta roller attachment to your KitchenAid Stand Mixer, starting on the widest setting, pass the flattened piece of dough through the machine the necessary number of times, depending on the recipe reducing the setting by 2 notches each time.
7. Dust lightly with flour if it starts to stick and if it becomes too long to handle, cut it in half, dust the half you aren’t working on lightly with flour and continue with each half separately. Repeat with remaining dough.
8. Attach the pasta spaghetti cutter attachment to your KitchenAid Stand Mixer and pass each sheet of dough through, cutting the large sheet into beautiful pieces of spaghetti
9. Set spaghetti aside

Bolognese sauce

1. Put a large saucepan on a medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil.
2. Add the chopped bacon and fry for 5 mins until golden.
3. Reduce the heat and add the 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, 2 garlic cloves and the leaves from 2-3 sprigs rosemary, all finely chopped, then fry for 10 mins. Stir the veg often until it softens.
4. Increase the heat to medium-high, add 500g beef mince and cook stirring for 3-4 mins until the meat is browned all over.
5. Add 2 tins plum tomatoes, the finely chopped leaves from ¾ small pack basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 bay leaves, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 beef stock cube, 1 deseeded and finely chopped red chilli (if using), 125ml red wine and 6 halved cherry tomatoes. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the plum tomatoes.
6. Bring to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 1 hr 15 mins stirring occasionally, until you have a rich, thick sauce.
7. Add the 75g grated parmesan, check the seasoning and stir.
8. When the bolognese is nearly finished, cook your spaghetti for four minutes in salted boiling water, taste it, and keep checking in one-minute increments until the pasta is al dente
9. Drain the spaghetti and either stir into the bolognese sauce, or serve the sauce on top. Serve with more grated parmesan, the remaining basil leaves and crusty bread, if you like.