Our cherished, coveted and sought-after Classic Ragu recipe...

Ingredients

• 2 large onions
• 2 carrots
• 1 large or 2 small stalks celery
• 3 cloves of garlic
• .25# pancetta
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp. dried or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• salt, to taste (start with 2 tsp.)
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 6 oz. can of tomato paste

Instructions

Place the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and pancetta in the food processor and grind to a chunky paste. (You could dice the vegetables by hand and have the butcher grind your pancetta.) Sauté the mixture in the olive oil until all the moisture has evaporated and it all begins to brown.

Add the meat, along with the bay leaf and thyme and cook until well browned and the bottom of the pan has lots of tasty caramelized bits.

Add the tomato paste, milk, wine, water, salt and pepper and simmer over low heat for 2 - 3 hours. As fat rises to the top of the pot, skim it away and discard.

Finally, toss with freshly cooked Egg Pappardelle, top with grated parmigiano or a dollop of creamy ricotta.