I use Muir Glen Fire Roasted organic tomatoes for this thick, rich, meaty sauce inspired by Italian food maven Marcella Hazan. Marcella said the milk is the secret ingredient. It’s enough for 1 lb (500 g) of pasta.
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb (500 g) ground beef
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1 cup dry white wine
Good dash of ground nutmeg
28-oz/796 mL can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp each: dried basil and oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat oil and butter in medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add carrots and garlic; cook about 2 minutes. Add ground beef, salt and pepper; cook, stirring to break up lumps, about 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Mash with a potato masher at intervals during cooking. Stir in milk. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low; simmer about 7 minutes or until most liquid has evaporated. Add wine and nutmeg. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low; simmer about 7 minutes more or until most liquid has evaporated. Add tomatoes, basil and oregano. Bring to boil, reduce heat as low as possible so sauce simmers with an occasional bubble breaking through surface, stirring occasionally and scraping browned bits from sides of saucepan, about 3 hours. If sauce sticks during simmering, add a little water. Taste; add salt and pepper if necessary.
Toss with cooked drained pasta. Serve with lots of freshly grated parmesan on the side.
Makes about 6 servings.
