Red Wine Pancetta Bolognese

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons minced onions, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced carrots
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 2 ounces pancetta, minced
• 3/4 lb ground chuck
• table salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup red wine

• 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, packed in juice, chopped fine, with juice reserved

Directions

1. 1

   Heat butter in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta and sautè until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add ground meat and 1/2 teaspoon salt; following illustration below, crumble meat with edge of wooden spoon to break apart into tiny pieces. Cook, continuing to crumble meat, just until it loses its raw color but has not yet browned, about 3 minutes.

2. 2

   Add milk and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until milk evaporates and only clear fat remains, 10 to 15 minutes. Add wine and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until wine evaporates, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and their juice and bring to simmer; reduce heat to low so that sauce continues to simmer just barely, with an occasional bubble or two at the surface, until liquid has evaporated, about 3 hours (if lowest burner setting is too high to allow such a low simmer, use a flame tamer or a foil ring (see related Quick Tip) to elevate pan). Adjust seasonings with extra salt to taste and serve. (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days or frozen for several months. Warm over low heat before serving.).