Emma’s Spaghetti Bolognese ~ by Paul Jobin

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled, diced and processed
• 4 tsp Gregg's Crushed Garlic
• 4 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely grated
• 4 rashers bacon, diced
• 2 cups beef mince
• 2 cups pork mince
• 3/4 cup tomato puree
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp Gregg's Rubbed Thyme
• 1 tsp Gregg's Natural Sea Salt, freshly ground
• 1/2 tsp Gregg's Whole Black Peppercorns, freshly ground
• 300g dried spaghetti pasta
• 50g butter, diced
• 2 Tbsp parmesan-infused olive oil

Method

Preheat an electric frying pan to its highest temperature.

Add the olive oil, then the onion, garlic, celery and carrot, stirring occasionally until softened (about 5 minutes, with the lid on). Add the bacon and the beef and pork mince and stir; breaking up the lumps, until no longer pink (about 10 minutes, without the lid). Stir in the tomato puree, milk, wine, water and thyme, cover and simmer until sauce is thickened (about 45 minutes). Add the salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Meanwhile bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is just firm to the bite in the center (al dente). Drain the pasta through a colander, reserving 150ml of the pasta water.

In the same saucepan, heat the reserved pasta water and whisk in the butter and parmesan oil until it has blended to make an emulsion. Mix this coating through the spaghetti.

Mix the mince sauce through the spaghetti.

To serve: Serve with freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese and freshly ground Gregg's Peppercorns.

This recipe is from Paul Jobin's new cookbook A Pinch of Salt. This inspired, creative and passionate book is a testament to Paul's hard work and enduring talent as a fine chef, and is available to purchase from www.pauljobin.co.nz