Spaghetti bolognese recipe by Manu Feildel

The longer you cook it, the better it will taste.

I usually make a big batch of this perennially popular pasta sauce and freeze the leftovers for an easy weeknight meal. The secret to the recipe’s success is that the longer you cook the sauce, the better it will taste.

MY SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

90ml extra virgin olive oil

250g minced beef

250g minced pork

150ml white wine

100g speck bacon or pancetta, finely diced

1 brown onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

400ml good beef stock

150ml milk

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

400g spaghetti or other pasta

Grilled bread, to serve (optional)

Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add beef and pork and stir with a wooden spatula; at the same time, press down on meat to break up any lumps. Keep stirring until it is nicely caramelised, about 3-5 minutes, then pour in white wine. When it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until wine has almost evaporated. Meanwhile, place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and pour in the remaining oil. When hot, add speck or pancetta and fry for 1-2 minutes, then add onion, carrot and celery; cook for about 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook for another minute. Add contents of pan to meat; pour in tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and cook for another hour, or until liquid has thickened and reduced by one-third. Stir in milk; taste, season if necessary. Simmer for 10-15 minutes (or longer if you have time; it will only get tastier). Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and serve with a generous helping of bolognese sauce and some grilled bread, if you like. Serves 4

More Please! by Manu Feildel with Clarissa Weerasena (Murdoch Books, $39.99), out Tuesday. Photography: Rob Palmer