Thick spaghetti Bolognese sauce: with red wine and milk to tenderize the meat

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Sauté the vegetables

   15 min

   Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and fry the bacon. Add the finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften.

2. Brown the meat

   10 min

   Add the crushed garlic and ground beef, increase the heat, and cook until the meat changes color. Break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

3. Add the wine

   5 min

   Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes, stirring, to let the alcohol evaporate.

4. Add the tomatoes

   5 min

   Stir in the tomato paste, tomato puree, and bay leaf, and season with the salt and pepper.

5. Simmer slowly

   1 hr 30 min

   Simmer the sauce over the lowest heat with the lid slightly ajar for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If it gets too thick, add a little water. Then stir in the milk and simmer for another 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove the bay leaf.

6. Cook the spaghetti and serve

   15 min

   Cook the spaghetti in salted water according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and toss with some of the sauce. Spoon more sauce over each serving and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Tip: The sauce is even better the next day. Make a double batch and freeze half in containers for up to 3 months. Read more: How to grind meat at home: tips and meat blends

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Hustá bolonská omáčka na špagety: s červeným vínom a mliekom, ktoré mäso zjemní