Categories: Ground Beef, Main Dish, Pasta Sauce, Rachael Ray

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 lb pancetta, cut into small dice (or ground)
• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 onion, cut into small dice
• 3 -4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 carrot, cut into small dice
• 2 celery ribs, cut into small dice salt
• pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leave, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 lb pappardelle pasta or 1 lb fettuccine pasta
• 1 cup whole milk or 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more to pass at the table
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. In a big pot, heat the oil over med-high heat; then add in the pancetta; cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and the fat is rendered, 3-4 minutes.

2. Add in the sirloin and pork to the pot and brown for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the lumps.

3. Add in the onions, garlic, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring until the vegetables are softened, 6-7 minutes.

4. Add salt and pepper and the nutmeg, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, and red pepper flakes.

5. Add in the tomato paste and stir for a minute or so, then add the wine and scrape up all the drippings.

6. Reduce the wine by half for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the stock and bring to a boil.

7. Decrease heat to a simmer and thicken the sauce for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

8. When you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt the water, and cook the pasta to al dente.

9. Add the milk to the sauce and simmer for a couple of minutes to heat through.

10. Discard the bay leaves and adjust the seasonings to taste.

11. Turn off the heat.

12. Once the pasta is done, reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining.

13. Drain the pasta and toss it back into the pot it was cooked in along with the reserved water, about a cup of grated cheese, and chopped parsley.

14. Add half the pasta sauce and toss well to coat.

15. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls, topped with additional sauce.

16. Pass the remaining cheese at the table.

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