Slow-cooked spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients

• 600g braising steak
• 6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 generous tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 medium onions
• 1 stick celery
• ½ bottle red wine
• 2 litres stock beef
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Pre heat your oven to 140°C.
2. To make the Bolognese sauce heat the butter in a large ovenproof saucepan, season the steak with salt and pepper and brown with the bacon for about 20 minutes. 
3. Finely chop the celery, garlic and onion, add to the pan, and continue to cook until softened.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme, fry gently for minute, add the wine and let bubble a little allowing the alcohol to evaporate.
5. Dilute with stock, cover with grease proof paper and place in the oven for 3hrs checking every 30 minutes or so, add a little more stock if it starts to dry out.   
6. Once cooked allow to rest stir with a wooden spoon to break the tender meat into smaller chunks.
7. To serve cook the spaghetti for 2 minutes less than it says on the packet reserving some of the cooking water, warm up the bolognaise sauce add a little of the pasta cooking water stir in the pasta and boil for a minuet allowing the pasta to soak up the sauce.
8. Serve hot and for an extra British touch, serve it with freshly grated Berkswell cheese, its slightly similar to parmesan which naturally works well too.  

Recipe by Parker’s Tavern Chef Director Tristan Welch