2 small ribs celery with leafy tops, chopped finely chopped
4 ounces chicken livers diced trimmed finely
1.5 cups cooking wine dry white ()
2 bay leaves fresh
2 small sprigs rosemary fresh leaves picked finely chopped
6 cloves garlic chopped
2 pinches ground cloves
2.5 pounds ground beef and veal mix (chuck or sirloin)
56 ounce tomatoes pureed italian canned
4 servings kosher salt and pepper black freshly ground
4 servings nutmeg freshly grated
0.3 cup olive oil extra-virgin
2 small onions finely chopped
0.3 pound pancetta diced finely
4 servings parmigiano-reggiano cheese grated
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups milk whole
Equipment
pot
dutch oven
Directions
You know you love it and you know you make it your own special way if you've ever made it before. Here is my take on the classic, if only to be used as a helpful reminder to make-ahead a batch especially in the winter months.;
Warm 2 cups milk in small pot over lowest heat.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat.
Add the pancetta and cook until lightly brown. Then add the chicken livers, and cook almost through.
Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, rosemary, and bay leaves, and cook until tender, 10 minutes.
Add the ground meat and cook through breaking into pieces, but do not brown. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, clove, and stir in the wine and allow it to cook into the meat, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the warm milk to the meat and allow it to absorb into the meat for 1 minute. Stir in the beef stock, vegetable stock, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Divide the sauce in 1/2, cool, and freeze one batch. Cool and store the remainder for a make-ahead meal within the week. Alternately, cook pasta to al dente, thin the sauce a bit with a bit of starchy pasta water and toss with pasta dressed with butter to combine. Top with grated cheese and chopped celery leaves.
