BOLOGNESE SAUCE

COOKING TIME:

At least 4 hours

SERVINGS:

6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 tablespoons butter + 1 tablespoon for tossing the pasta

½ cup chopped onion

⅔ cup chopped celery

⅔ cup chopped carrot

¾ pound ground beef chuck (or you can use 1 part pork to 2 parts beef)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup whole milk

Whole nutmeg

1 cup dry white wine

1½ cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice

1¼ to 1½ pounds pasta

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano at the table

INSTRUCTIONS:

SAUTÉ THE VEGETABLES

Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium.

Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot.

Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well.

BROWN THE MEAT

Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper.

Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well and cook until the beef has lost its raw, red color.

EVAPORATE THE MILK

Add milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely.

Add a tiny grating - about ⅛ teaspoon - of nutmeg, and stir.

COOK THE SAUCE

Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated.

Add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well.

When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that it is barely simmering. 

Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time.

As the sauce cooks, it will dry out and fat will separate from the meat. Add ½ cup of water whenever needed to prevent sticking.

At the end, no water should remain and the fat should separate from the sauce. Stir the fat back into the sauce, then taste and adjust salt.

TOSS WITH PASTA

Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the tablespoon of butter.

Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on the side.