Rich Italian Meat Sauce (Print Format)

Cozy up to a big bowl of saucy, deeply flavored Italian meat sauce packed with ground beef, savory pancetta, chopped veggies, slow-cooked in wine and milk. The flavor builds as it bubbles so be patient, it's so worth it.

# Ingredients:

→ Base Vegetables

01 - 2 celery stalks, sliced into chunks about an inch long
02 - 2 medium-sized yellow onions, chopped into large pieces after peeling
03 - 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped into big pieces
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunky 1-inch pieces

→ Meat and Fats

05 - 4 ounces of finely diced pancetta
06 - 1⅓ lbs of ground beef (lean, 85%)
07 - 2 tablespoons of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil

→ Liquids and Seasonings

08 - 1 (14-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
09 - 1 full cup of whole milk
10 - ½ cup of a good dry red wine
11 - 2 cups of flavorful beef broth
12 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
13 - ½ teaspoon fresh black pepper, ground
14 - 1 teaspoon salt (add more for the pasta water)

→ For Serving

15 - Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (only if you'd like)
16 - Fresh herbs like parsley or basil, chopped (optional)
17 - 1 pound of your favorite pasta

# Steps:

01 - Use a food processor to chop the onions finely, but don’t let them turn into mush. Move them to a bowl, then do the same with garlic, carrots, and celery.
02 - In a big pot, warm up the oil over medium-high. Toss in the processed veggies and stir regularly for 8-10 minutes, lowering the heat if they look like they’re starting to brown.
03 - Throw in the ground beef, pancetta, some salt, and a bit of pepper. Keep the heat at medium-high and break up the meat as you cook. Stop once the pink is gone, around 5-10 minutes.
04 - Pour the wine in and let it bubble away till most of it disappears. This usually takes a minute or two.
05 - Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and oregano. Let the mixture come to a gentle boil before dropping the heat to low. Simmer it for 90 minutes with the lid slightly off.
06 - Mix in the milk, then continue simmering gently for about 35 minutes with the lid ajar. Stir now and then, removing any fat sitting on top if you see it.
07 - Boil pasta in salted water. Before draining, save a cup of pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding some of that saved water if the sauce feels too thick. Toss in fresh herbs and cheese when serving, if you'd like.

# Tips:

01 - You can make this sauce 3 days in advance and refrigerate it.
02 - It freezes well! Store for up to 3 months.
03 - Fresh pasta like Buitoni goes great with this dish.
04 - A side Caesar salad pairs nicely!

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