"All afternoon" Bolognese Sauce

I've made this many times but haven't written it up yet.  I'm at Noelle and Keenan's in Raleigh and thought I'd write it up as it simmers on their stove.  It's just a great old recipe from Marcella Hazan.  It is here on NYT Cooking.   I always make a double recipe (below) in the Le Creuset and I'm not fussy about measurements.  It takes hours to make, but it is super easy.  It's a great recipe for "mis en place" - all the chopping - and super easy to make and then just takes hours to simmer (stir occasionally).  Everyone loves it.  It is very rich - you don't need much, over pasta with freshly grated parm.  It freezes really well too.  

Ingredients: 

3 T olive oil 

6 T butter 

1 large yellow onion, diced 

2-3 large carrots, diced 

2-3 stalks celery, diced 

s&p 

1 1/2 - 2 pounds ground beef (not super lean; go for ground chuck) (optional - make some of it ground pork) 

2 C whole milk 

a smidge of fresh nutmeg (if you have fresh - I can't find fresh at the stores now - COVID supply chain issues???) 

2 C dry white wine 

1 large (28 oz) can peeled Italian tomatoes with their juice - pour out into a bowl and cut up the tomatoes. 

Cooked pasta (any kind you like) 

freshly grated Parm, and salt and pepper for the table 

1.  Add butter and oil to a Dutch oven, and sauté the diced onion until soft.   Meanwhile, peel the carrots and dice the carrots and celery.  You are going for about 1 1/2 C of each. 

2.  Add the celery and carrot, and sauté for just a couple minutes. 

3.  Add the beef, increase heat, add a good sprinkle of salt and pepper.  Break up the meat as it cooks.  Cook, stirring/breaking up occasionally, until there is no pink left to the meat. 

4.  Add the milk; simmer until it has evaporated (there is still liquid in the pot but you will sort of know when the milk is "gone") 

5.  Add the wine.  Simmer until the alcohol has evaporated (10 min?)  

6.  Add the tomatoes, stir thoroughly.  Bring to a very low simmer. 

7.  Simmer uncovered "all afternoon" if you have the time, but at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally.   Read step 4 of the original recipe about this process.   The sauce will become very thick, not soupy at all.  

So so good over pasta.  A little sauce goes a long way!  With some fresh Parm and more ground pepper! 

Enjoy!

xo

Mom