Bolognese Sauce

I love cooking with wine. I don't really know/care much about drinking it but it tastes wonderful when cooked. I have been wanting to make a lasagna and this recipe is for a sauce that will be great on its own or in the lasagna recipe that will follow. I made the sauce already and it yields 8 c. so you can use 4 c. for the lasagna and freeze the rest. It is great reheated, unlike many things. I stole the recipe for this sauce and the lasagna, which has bechamel instead of ricotta, from Deb at smittenkitchen.





Bolognese sauce (yield 8 c.)
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 large or 2 slim carrots, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination
1 1/4 cups tomato paste (12 oz)
2 cups red wine
Water as needed
2 bay leaves
A few sprigs thyme, tied in a bundle (I used dried thyme and I think it still came out wonderful)

1. In a food processor, pulse onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until finely chopped.

2. Heat a moderate-sized Dutch oven (4 to 5 quarts) over medium-high heat. Once hot, coat the bottom of the pan with two to three tablespoons of oil. Once it is hot, add the chopped vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables until they are evenly brown, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. "Evenly brown," is a relative term. I wouldn't worry about it too much, just try to cook off the moisture and brown them.

3. Add the ground beef to the vegetables and season again with salt and pepper. Brown the beef well and again, don’t rush this step. Cook for another 15 minutes.

4. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red wine, using it to scrape up any stuck bits in the pan. Cook the wine until it has reduced by half, about 5 more minutes.

5. Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything, bringing it to a low simmer. Simmer for 3-4 hours, adding a cup of water whenever you see the level gets too low.