Bolognese Sauce

By Niecer

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta or slab bacon, ground by butcher or thinly sliced and pulsed in food processor until finely chopped
• 1 pound ground veal or lean ground sirloin
• 1 pound ground pork (lean)
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 C water
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Cook onions, celery, carrot, and garlic in oil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add meats and cook over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, milk, wine, water, and nutmeg and gently simmer, covered, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Frozen, it keeps for 1 month.