Ragù Bolognese

Ragù bolognese is a good Sunday dinner dish. Its long simmering is perfect for a lazy day. Serve this rich meat sauce over tagliatelle, rigatoni or penne or as a lasagne filling. One thing the residents of Bologna never do is serve bolognese sauce over spaghetti.

4 to 6 servings

• Olive oil -- 2 tablespoons
• Butter -- 2 tablespoons
• Onion, chopped -- 1
• Carrot, chopped -- 2
• Celery, chopped -- 1 stalk
• Ground beef -- 1 pound
• Salt and pepper -- to season
• Milk -- 1 cup
• Nutmeg -- pinch
• Tomatoes,  peeled, seeded and chopped -- 2 cups
• Dry white wine -- 1 cup

Method

1. In a large pot, heat the oil and butter over medium flame. Add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the ground beef and season with a little salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring to break up meat, until the beef is cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
2. Pour in the milk and nutmeg and simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is mostly reduced, 10-20 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and white wine and continue to simmer on very low heat for 1-8 hours. The longer you simmer the better the flavor will become. Add a little water as necessary. Toss with pasta and serve.

Variations

• Use 1/3 pound ground pork and 2/3 pound ground beef for better flavor.
• Two cups of canned tomatoes or 1/4 cup tomato paste may be substituted for the fresh, chopped tomatoes.