Ingredients
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3 tablespoons olive oil
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3 tablespoons butter
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
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1 lb lean ground beef
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 cup dry red wine
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1/2 cup milk
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1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
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2 teaspoons dried oregano
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1 (14 ounce) can Italian tomatoes, roughly chopped,with their juice
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2 large onions, chopped
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1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
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1 carrot, finely chopped
Instructions
- In order to prevent the ragu from reducing too quickly, use the heaviest, deepest pot that you own.
- Melt butter& oil and saute onion& garlic over medium heat until just translucent.
- Add celery& carrot and cook gently for about 2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, crumbling it in the pot with a fork.
- Stir in salt.
- Cook only until the meat loses its raw, red colour.
- Add the wine, turn heat up to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the wine evaporates (1/2 hour to 45 minutes).
- Turn the heat down to medium, add the milk& nutmeg and cook, stirring frequently, until all the milk evaporates (1/2 hour TO 45 minutes).
- Add oregano, pepper& tomatoes and stir thoroughly.
- When the tomatoes have started to boil, turn the heat down until the sauce cooks at the laziest simmer- just the occasional bubble.
- Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for at least 4 hours (5 hours is better).
- If you can't watch the sauce for such a long stretch, you can interrupt this simmering time- but DO complete it in the same day!