Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1-1/2 pounds lean ground steak or use 1/2 lean beef and 1/2 ground pork
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
2 or tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Rosemary, to taste
Fennel seed, to taste
Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup cream or milk (Optional)
1 cup beef or chicken broth
2 to 3 large cans chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Optional: If you have a rind from a Parmesan cheese add it to the pot to simmer along with the sauce. Really enriches the sauce.

Directions:
Saute chopped onions and celery in olive oil until softened.  Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the meat and saute until no longer pink. 

Add cream/milk and simmer until it has evaporated.  Add 1/2 cup white wine and simmer until it has evaporated. Add the dried herbs and fresh parsley.  Coarsely puree tomatoes and add to the pot.  Add chicken broth and simmer for at least 2 hours on low heat.

Serve over spaghetti with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

*You can also add the cream at the end rather than at the beginning. Makes for a richer sauce.  The purpose of adding it early is that it is suppose to tenderize the meat.

Serves:  A Small Army

MY NOTES:  I use half ground beef, half Italian sausage.  I usually can't find chopped tomatoes, so I use whole peeled tomatoes instead.

Source:  Thibeault's Table