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Helen’s Bolognese

Sink into the sofa with a soothing bowl of bolognese from Ottolenghi's latest book, Comfort

20 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook

Serves 4

Ingredients

75ml peanut oil

1 onion, finely diced (180g)

1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced (125g)

1 celery stick, finely diced (75g)

2 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

1½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns, roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar

1 tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar

500g minced pork (or beef, or a mixture of both)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

40g ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 tbsp Shaoxing wine

100g doubanjiang (aka chilli bean paste)

50ml light soy sauce

310ml water

1 tbsp cornflour

360g dried pappardelle

For the dressed cucumbers:

1 large cucumber, cut into thin batons (310g)

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp runny honey

1 tsp sesame oil

Salt

To serve:

5g coriander leaves, roughly torn

1½ tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

Put the oil into a medium saucepan, for which you have a lid, and place on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, star anise, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the vegetables take on some colour. Take the pan off the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a plate, leaving behind the oil and any sediments.

Keep the pan on a medium-high heat and add the meat, garlic and ginger. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the meat is lightly browned. Add the Shaoxing wine, cook for a minute, then add the doubanjiang, soy sauce and 250ml of water. Stir to combine, partially cover, and simmer on a medium-low heat for about 25 minutes, stirring from time to time.

While the meat sauce is simmering, mix the cornflour with the remaining 60ml of water and set aside.

Return the cooked vegetables to the sauce, along with the spring onions and the cornflour slurry. Simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered.

Meanwhile, place all the ingredients for the dressed cucumbers in a small bowl. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt, mix to combine and set aside.

Cook the pappardelle in salted boiling water until al dente, then divide between four bowls. Ladle over the meat sauce and top with some of the dressed cucumbers. Finish with the coriander and sesame seeds and serve, with the remaining cucumbers on the side.

Recipe extracted from Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, published by Penguin books