Bolognese ragu

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 3 onions, finely diced
• 3 carrots, finely diced
• 3 stalk(s) celery, finely diced
• 150 g bacon, lean, finely diced
• 1,000 g minced meat, mixed
• Butter or margarine for frying
• 300 ml red wine
• 300 ml meat broth, strong
• 2 large cans of tomatoes (plum tomatoes), with their juice, torn
• Salt
• pepper
• 250 ml milk, fresh, lactose-free or regular

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

a larger amount of the delicious sauce, which I always freeze in portions

First, mix the diced onion, chopped carrots, celery, and bacon thoroughly with the meat and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter/margarine in a saucepan or large pot and brown the meat until it has lost its color or until any water has evaporated. Gradually add the red wine, stirring thoroughly and allowing it to evaporate. Then repeat the process with the broth. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices. Once everything has boiled, reduce the heat to very low and pour in approximately 150-250 ml of milk (so that everything is lightly covered). Do not stir again. Cover and simmer over very low heat for at least 3 hours. Thin with broth or milk if desired, but this is usually not necessary. At the beginning of the cooking time, it will taste like nothing; only over time will the typical flavor of a Bolognese develop. I always cook at least this amount, so I can easily freeze six servings. The fat that runs off the top after the long cooking time, so I usually let it cool, skim off some, bring it back to a boil, and freeze it. We like to add dried chili peppers, or if you like, you can stir in mushrooms or peas. I would only do this per serving, though, so you can always adapt it to your mood. Then I serve it with delicious pasta.