Bolognese sauce à la Mama

Ingredients for 25 servings:

• 1 ½ kg minced beef, unseasoned
• 10 slice(s) ham (Coppa, Italian neck ham)
• 4 stalk(s) Celery
• 6 carrots
• 3 red bell peppers
• 3 large onions
• 2 liters of pureed tomatoes
• 2 large cans of tomatoes, chopped
• 10 g salt
• 6 g pepper
• 1 tsp chili sauce or a little chili from the mill
• 3 tbsp basil, pureed
• 2 tsp garlic, squeezed
• ½ liter broth (Bouillon Mediterraneanea or meat broth enriched with Italian spices)

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Rest time approx. 8 hours; Total time approx. 8 hours 45 minutes

Pass the cleaned vegetables, onions, and the coppa ham through the large disk of a meat grinder. In a very large pot (8-10 l), sauté all the minced meat in olive oil, stirring continuously, until it begins to brown and turn gray. Browning isn’t recommended, but it won’t work, as the large amount of water will absorb water. Now season with salt and pepper. Add all the minced meat and stir over high heat for 10 minutes; don’t let it stick! Add the garlic, basil, tomatoes, and stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for a whole day—about 8 hours, really. Season with chili to taste. It results in a wonderful sauce consistency and a very balanced flavor. This sauce has absolutely nothing to do with quick, 30-minute Bolognese sauces. Even as an advocate of honest, fresh cooking, there’s no need to turn up your nose; the ready-made products used are of good, pure quality (passed tomatoes, pureed basil, etc.). Bouillon has also proven successful, but can also be substituted with homemade meat broth, though this will need to be adjusted with Mediterranean spices. Of course, you can also chop fresh basil leaves yourself and puree them with good olive oil. The long cooking time is worth it; occasional stirring is sufficient, and the pot can be left almost unattended.