Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 cup finely diced onions
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper and cayenne to taste
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups white wine
1 can San Marzano plum tomatoes (28-oz), about 3 cups
2 cups water, or as needed
Steps
- Add butter and olive oil to a pot over medium heat
- As soon as the butter melts, stir in the diced onions, celery and carrots. Throw in a pinch of salt to draw out the water. Cook that stirring until the vegetables turn translucent
- Add the ground beef and cook for around 5 minutes stirring constantly breaking up that beef with a wooden spoon as you stir.
- When the beef is broken down to crumbles add the seasoning (salt, black pepper, cayenne, nutmeg). Stir in the seasoning well
- Stir in the milk and let it come up to a simmer and cook that until most of the milk evaporates
- Add the white wine and raise the heat to medium high, bring it to a simmer and cook it stirring until most of the wine is evaporated and you're back at a meat paste consistancy
- Crush the tomatoes in a bowl and pour into the pot. Add a couple of cups of water. Let the mixture come up to a simmer, give a stir and reduce the heat to low (adjust to maintain a very gentle simmer). Simmer gently for 4-6 hours or until it cooks down to a thick sauce (at least 3 hours) and you can skim any fat that floats on the surface.
- Turn off the heat and taste to adjust the seasoning. Serve with your favorite pasta (Rigatoni suggested)