Sea Spaghetti alla Bolognese

Ingredients:

400g lean minced beef
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
45g butter
8 tbsp milk
250ml dry white wine
1/8 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
400g tinned Italian tomatoes, with the juice
50g dried sea spaghetti
1 tbsp butter, for the pasta
50g freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

Traditionally the ragù should be cooked in an earthenware pot, but you can also use a heavy pan or a cast iron pot or a heavy casserole. Add the olive oil and butter to the pan and when foaming add the onion and fry until softened (about 6 minutes). Now add the carrot and celery and cook for about 2 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Crumble the beef into the pan and cook briefly, until the meat is just coloured. Season with salt and black pepper then add the wine. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, stirring frequently. Chop the tomatoes and add to the pot along with their juice. Bring to a slow simmer then reduce the heat to the merest murmur. Secure the lid and continue cooking for 4 hours. After this process the ragù will keep for at least four days in the refrigerator.

When ready to serve re-heat the ragù then bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the dried sea spaghetti to a pan of boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through but still slightly al dente.

Drain the sea spaghetti, place in a warmed dish and add the butter and Parmesan cheese. Spoon the ragù over the top then stir to combine and serve immediately. If wished you can garnish with more grated Parmesan and a few generous twists of freshly-milled black pepper.

For more information on edible seaweeds and links to descriptions of various edible seaweeds and their recipes see the guide to edible seaweeds (sea vegetables) on this site.