Pin It A rich, slow-cooked meat sauce from Tuscany, bursting with savory flavors, perfect for serving over pasta or polenta.
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) ground beef
- 200 g (7 oz) ground pork
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) dry red wine
- 600 g (21 oz about 1 1/2 cans) canned whole tomatoes crushed by hand
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 200 ml (3/4 cup) beef or chicken stock
- 100 ml (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp) whole milk
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese optional
- Cooked pasta or polenta
Instructions
- Step 1:
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat Add onion carrot and celery sauté for 7-8 minutes until vegetables are soft and translucent
- Step 2:
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant
- Step 3:
- Add the ground beef and pork Cook breaking up the meat with a spoon until browned and any liquid has evaporated about 10 minutes
- Step 4:
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes Pour in the wine scraping up any browned bits and simmer until mostly evaporated about 3 minutes
- Step 5:
- Add crushed tomatoes stock bay leaf oregano thyme salt and pepper Stir to combine
- Step 6:
- Bring to a gentle simmer Partially cover and cook over low heat for 2 hours stirring occasionally
- Step 7:
- Stir in the milk and simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes until the sauce is rich and thick Adjust seasoning as needed
- Step 8:
- Remove the bay leaf Serve hot over cooked pasta or polenta topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano if desired
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Pin It Recipe FAQs
- → What cuts of meat are best for this sauce?
Ground beef and pork combine for a balanced texture and rich flavor, typical in Tuscan cooking.
- → Can I prepare the sauce in advance?
Yes, making it a day ahead allows the flavors to meld beautifully. Reheat gently before serving.
- → What dishes pair well with this sauce?
This sauce complements pasta shapes like pappardelle or tagliatelle, as well as creamy polenta.
- → Is it possible to enhance the flavor further?
Adding pancetta in place of some pork or serving with Chianti wine highlights traditional Tuscan notes.
- → How should the sauce be stored?
It keeps well refrigerated for several days and freezes up to three months without losing quality.