Spaghetti alla Bolognese by Bruno Barbieri

Ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Ground pork belly
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 onion
• Double concentrated tomato paste
• Dry white wine
• 1 glass of whole milk
• Broth (quantity to adjust depending on consistency)
• Butter
• A few tablespoons of olive oil
• Herb bouquet (sage, rosemary, bay leaves)
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation:

1. Prepare the vegetables:
   In a large pot, heat the butter with a bit of olive oil. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, celery, and carrot.

2. Sauté the vegetables:
   Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrot to the pot. Also, add the herb bouquet (sage, rosemary, bay leaves). Stir frequently and sauté the vegetables over medium heat until they are golden.

3. Add the meat:
   Once the vegetables are well browned, add the ground beef and pork belly. Cook until the meat is well browned.

4. Season:
   Season the meat with pepper, then deglaze the pot with the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate.

5. Add the tomato paste:
   Add the double concentrated tomato paste to the pot and mix well. Adjust the salt to taste.

6. Let it simmer:
   Let the sauce cook over low heat for several hours. Add a few ladles of broth if the sauce becomes too thick.

7. Add the milk:
   When the sauce has thickened and reached a rich consistency, add the glass of whole milk.
   Why add milk?
   The addition of milk helps neutralize the acidity of the tomato, a much more effective trick than adding sugar, as many do.

8. Finish cooking:
   Let it simmer for a few more minutes to make the sauce nice and creamy. Remove from heat when the sauce is ready.

Bruno Barbieri's tip:
For an even richer taste, let the sauce rest a few minutes on the heat after adding the milk. Once ready, the sauce can be served with spaghetti or any other pasta of your choice.

Buon appetito!