Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small onion, cut into 1 inch dice

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch dice

3 stalk celery, cut into 1 inch dice

4 clove garlic

1 extra-virgin olive oil, as needed

3 lb ground chuck, brisket, or round or a combination

1 kosher salt, to taste

2 cup tomato paste

3 cup hearty red wine

1 water, as needed

3 bay leaves

1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle

1 lb spaghetti

1⁄2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated

1 high quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

Directions

1. In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. Place a large pan over medium heat and coat with olive oil. Add pureed vegetables and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to medium-high heat and cook the vegetables until all of the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Add ground beef and season again generously with salt. Brown the meat well and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste and cook until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add red wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add water to the pan about 1 inch above the meat. Add bay leaves and thyme, then stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates, gradually add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Be generous about adding water during the cooking process, any extra can always be cooked out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. Do not add all of the water in the beginning, otherwise it will be a boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and taste frequently. Season with salt, if needed. Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
5. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Generously salt the pasta water, otherwise the completed dish will always taste under seasoned no matter how good the sauce is. When the water is at a rolling boil, add spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
6. While the pasta is cooking, remove 1/2 of the sauce from the pot and reserve. Drain pasta, add it to the pot with the remaining sauce, and stir or toss the pasta to coat. Add some reserved sauce if needed to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano cheese and drizzle with high quality finishing olive oil. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide pasta and sauce into serving bowls or one big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Serve immediately.