Spaghetti Bolognese

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and let the fat render out while it cooks through. When it is pretty well cooked through, add the rest of the meat and let it brown in the rendered fat, breaking it up with a spoon.
2. While the meats cook, get out your food processor and combine the tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, garlic cloves and basil leaves in the bowl. Puree it completely. It will naturally have some texture. Set it aside.
3. When the meat is cooked, add the tomato paste into the pot and let it cook through. Then pour in the wine and let it reduce for 5 minutes. The puree you just made goes in next. Then let that get cooked and fragrant for another 5 minutes.
4. Now it’s time for everything else to jump into the pool. Season the sauce with the salt, crushed red pepper and nutmeg. Adjust to your taste accordingly, my measurements are a guideline. Then add in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, Parmesan and butter. Give it a big stir and then lastly add in the bay leaves. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and let it go low and slow for 2 hours.
5. If you are going to make the pasta fresh, at this point make the dough, let it rest and then get it rolled out and cut while the sauce simmers. Cover it up with a tea towel until you are ready to cook it so that it doesn’t dry out.
6. Just before you are ready to serve, get a large pot of salted water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Remove the bay leaves from the pot of sauce. Cook the pasta until just tender. Dry pasta takes about 5 minutes more than the fresh, but refer to your package instructions for cook times. Drain the spaghetti and get it into the pot of Bolognese sauce and toss everything thoroughly to combine it.
7. Scoop the spaghetti Bolognese into bowls and garnish with additional basil chiffonade and Parmesan shavings to finish it off. Mangia and enjoy!