Categories: Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Olive oil
- 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped fine
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 28 oz. can tomato puree
- 1 lb. dried spaghetti
- Grated Pecorino Romano, to serve
Directions
-
Heat a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl. Add half of the beef to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Break up any large pieces with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to the bowl with the bacon. Repeat with the remaining beef.
-
Add more oil to the pot if it seems to dry. Reduce heat to medium. Add the carrot and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the veggies are softened and the onions are lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic to the carrot and onion and cook just until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bay leaf.
-
Return the meat and bacon to the pan and stir in the milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk has mostly evaporated but the meat is not dry, 10 to 12 minutes.
-
Stir in the wine, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes.
-
Stir in the tomato puree and season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered, for at least 2 hours and up to 3 hours, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes. After 2 hours, the meat will be very tender and ready to eat, but if you give it the third hour, it will be that much more delicious. Add a few tbsp of water as needed to prevent the sauce from sticking to the pan.
-
About 30 minutes before the sauce is done, begin preparing the pasta as directed.
-
Remove the bay leaf and season the finished sauce with salt and pepper.
-
Drain the pasta and add it to the pot with the sauce. Stir until the pasta is well coated. Bring the pot to the table and serve family style, with Pecorino Romano.