Ingredients
- 1 pound 90⁄10 lean ground beef
- 12 ounces (3 links) hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 8 ounces diced pancetta (1 1⁄2 cups)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (2 cups)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (1 cup)
- 2 large carrots, chopped (1 1⁄4 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped (about 1 Tbsp.)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 /2 cup dry red wine
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 /2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 2 (28-oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and rinsed
- 2 pounds uncooked ziti or penne pasta
- Freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Fresh basil leaves
Preparation
Step 1
Combine ground beef, sausage, and pancetta in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high, stirring to break into small pieces, until browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a 6-quart slow cooker; reserve drippings in skillet.
Add onion, celery, and carrots to hot drippings; cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add red wine; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add onion mixture to slow cooker with meat. Stir in sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Using your hands, crush tomatoes to break apart; add to slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on LOW until flavors meld, about 6 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain well. Serve sauce over pasta; top with cheese and basil. Sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days or frozen up to 3 months.