Grandma's Bolognese Sauce

Method

1. 1
   Peel and finely chop the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook them over low heat in a large pan with the olive oil for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

   💡 Tip

   You're looking for a soft, translucent base with no colour at all. If it starts to brown, lower the heat immediately.
2. 2
   Add the minced meat and cook over medium heat, breaking it up well with a spatula until browned (about 8 minutes). Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scrape the bottom of the pan to lift all the juices and let it reduce for 2 to 3 minutes.

   💡 Tip

   Lightly season the meat and let it rest 10 minutes at room temperature before cooking: it'll be juicier. For the wine, go bold, a Chianti or Côtes-du-Rhône is perfect.
3. 3
   Score a cross at the bottom of each tomato. Plunge them into boiling water for 30 seconds then into a bowl of iced water. Peel, deseed and roughly chop.

   💡 Tip

   Using canned peeled tomatoes? Skip this step entirely, it works just as well and saves you time.
4. 4
   Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Partially cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. At the very end, pour in the 100ml of whole milk off the heat and stir well.

   💡 Tip

   The longer it simmers, the better it gets. 1 hour is the minimum, 1h30 is even better. The milk smooths out the tomato acidity. If the sauce is still sharp, add a pinch of sugar.