Spaghetti bolognese, for me, is that dish I have on stand-by. The one that I know I can whip up in a hurry but it will also fill everyone up and there’ll be no complaints. Serve it with some garlic bread on the side and my teenager won’t complain half an hour later that he’s hungry. Happy days!
Every now and then, when I have the time, I like to zhoosh up my spag bol – maybe throw in some mushrooms into the mix, make it in the slow cooker, or turn it into a pasta bake. But our favourite foodie, Matt Preston, does something else entirely…
Matt Preston’s secret bolognese ingredient is: parmesan rind!
There’s no doubt that parmesan cheese is a regular topper for spaghetti bolognese, but I haven’t heard of using the rind IN a bolognese sauce before.
But this is what Matt swears by. He tosses an unassuming parmesan rind into the sauce (instead of the bin) and suddenly the sauce gets deeper, richer, a little saltier and somehow more comforting. It’s like the rind whispers old Italian secrets to the beef mince and tomatoes, transforming an ordinary bolognese into something Nonna would be proud of.
“Now, I’ve been saving parmesan rinds, so when I make a bolognese I put one, two, three [into the pot],” says Matt. “You can put one in, but three’s great!”
The parmesan rind truly is the perfect flavour bomb ingredient – it is packed with flavour compounds that develop during aging, so adding it to a bolognese sauce really helps to elevate the overall taste.
Something you often throw away, parmesan rind, is the secret ingredient in Matt’s bolognese and key to this recipe. It gives us “a lovely little extra bit of flavour,” Matt says.
Here’s how he does it…
Step 1: Heat some butter and olive oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon, onion, carrot and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, for until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Add some crushed garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Add some tomato paste and brown sugar. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes, then transfer to a large heatproof bowl.
Step 2: Heat some olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add some beef mince and press flat with the back of a spoon – do not break the mince up. Cook for 5-8 minutes until browned. Turn over and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until browned. Now break up the mince with a wooden spoon. Transfer to the bowl with the vegetable mixture.
Step 3: Increase heat to high. Add some red wine to the pot and simmer until reduced by half. Return mince mixture to pot. Add some diced tomato and beef stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to very low. Add a 6cm piece of parmesan rind (Matt uses up to 3 of these!), Worcestershire, bay leaves, lemon rind and some lemon juice. Season well with salt. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 4 hours or until the sauce is a glossy dark red. Season with salt and more lemon juice.
Step 4: Remove and discard the parmesan rinds and bay leaves. Divide the pasta and bolognese among serving bowls. Top with grated parmesan, to serve.
And the result? It’s rich, it’s creamy, it’s meaty…” says Matt. “So, that’s my bolognese with my secret ingredient: those parmesan rinds you might otherwise throw away. Do not throw away your parmesan rinds; save them for any time you make a bolognese.”
Honestly, without it, your bolognese is just regular spaghetti sauce trying to find itself! Don’t forget to head to the full recipe for Matt Preston’s secret-ingredient spaghetti bolognese, armed with your parmesan rinds.
How else can you use parmesan rind?
A parmesan rind isn’t only limited to flavouring bolognese. You can pop one in a minestrone, like we have in this slow cooker vegetarian minestrone, or toss one into a gorgeous red wine and parmesan risotto, waste-not clean-out-the-fridge vegetable risotto, or any number of hearty soups or stews.
Wherever parmesan rind can get the chance to simmer and add flavour, including in stocks and sauces, think about adding one or two. I’ve even heard it adds a lovely subtle flavour when dropped into the water when cooking pasta.
Worried about how long you can keep parmesan rind?
Worry no more. Save your parmesan rinds by placing them in a sealable bag. They’ll keep for a few months in the fridge or indefinitely in the freezer, ready to pluck out whenever you have a craving for Matt Preston’s secret-ingredient spaghetti bolognese or want to boost a basic dish. I’ll be starting my collection today!
Dining and Cooking