Bolognese Ragu

This is the real deal. C would say this is a recipe that changed his life. During our first weeks in Italy, after a hard day battling language and culture, he came home to this simmering on the stove and decided he could stay here after all.

This is a thick sauce that is more meat than sauce--don't think American spaghetti sauce.  The traditional pasta to serve it on in Bologna is tagliatelli, which is similar to fettuccine but not quite as thick.  But honestly, it's awesome on anything.  Even just bread!

1 yellow onion, minced
1 carrot, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
2T. butter
8oz. ground lean pork
8oz. ground lean beef
small package pancetta or 4oz. apple smoked bacon
1C. dry red wine
13oz. (400g) chopped canned tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste (at least 2t. salt and 1/4t. pepper)

I mince the vegetables in a food processor, but if you want to do it by hand, more power to you!  Saute the veggies in butter for 5-7 minutes until very tender.  Add the pork, beef and pancetta and saute 2-3 minutes, until redness is gone.  Slowly add the wine to moisten, and cook until it's evaporated.  Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Cover and leave to simmer for at least one hour, stirring frequently.  Don't allow sauce to stick to the bottom of the pan.  If sauce is too soupy after an hour, continue to cook.  If too dry, add a little water, 1/2C at a time, until right consistency is reached.  Best if cooked 4 hours.

One of the things I love about this recipe is that I can do all the preparation and cooking in the calm of the afternoon, and then it's ready to eat whenever our family is ready.  At that point, all I really have to do is boil the pasta.