Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 large (200g) Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium (150g) Carrots, finely diced
  • 2 medium (100g) Celery Stalks, finely diced
  • 4 cloves (15g) Garlic, minced
  • 1 lb (450g) Ground Beef (80/20 recommended)
  • 1 lb (450g) Ground Italian Sausage (casings removed)
  • 2 Tablespoons (30g) Tomato Paste
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Dry Red Wine (e.g., Chianti, Merlot)
  • 28 oz can High Quality Crushed Tomatoes (San Marzano preferred)
  • 15 oz can Tomato Purée (or Passata)
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Low Sodium Beef Broth
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sugar (Optional)
  • Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper (To taste)
  • 1 lb (450g) Dried Spaghetti
  • Fresh Parsley, chopped (For garnish)
  • Freshly Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano (For topping)

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto). Cook gently for 8–10 minutes until softened and translucent.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Increase heat slightly, add ground beef and sausage. Break up the meat and cook until fully browned. Drain off excess fat, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons behind.
  3. Push the meat mixture to one side of the pot. Add the tomato paste to the exposed pan bottom and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly. Stir the paste into the meat mixture.
  4. Pour in the red wine. Bring to a simmer and use your spoon to scrape up all the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (fond). Let the wine reduce by half (about 3–4 minutes).
  5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato purée, beef broth, oregano, basil, bay leaves, red pepper flakes (if using), and optional sugar. Season with an initial measure of salt and pepper. Bring the sauce just to a gentle simmer.
  6. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting—you should see only slow bubbles. Cover slightly ajar and simmer for a minimum of 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring every 20–30 minutes to prevent sticking. The longer the simmer, the better the flavour.
  7. After simmering, remove the bay leaves. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper, or sugar) as needed. The sauce should be thick and rich.
  8. About 15 minutes before the sauce is done, cook the spaghetti in heavily salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
  9. Drain the pasta. Add the drained spaghetti directly into the pot with the meat sauce. Toss vigorously over low heat, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water until the sauce perfectly coats the spaghetti.
  10. Serve immediately, topped generously with fresh Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and chopped parsley.