Christmas Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• small carrot
• small onion
• small celery stalk
• large garlic clove
• 1 lbs Italian sausage
• ⅓ lbs ground beef
• 6½ oz pancetta, diced
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ cup tomato paste
• 1 cup Italian tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley
• dried porcini mushrooms (to taste)

Directions

1. Soak the porcini in warm water for at least ½ hour.
2. Remove from the water, squeeze dry and chop.
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over moderate heat.
4. Add the carrot, onion and celery and saute until the onion is golden, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add the sausage, ground beef and pancetta to the pan.
7. Cook over moderate heat, stirring to break up the meat, until the beef and sausage are no longer pink.
8. Drain off any fat.
9. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
10. Pour in the red wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until it evaporates, about 5 minutes.
11. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, porcini and ½ cup of warm water.
12. Simmer for 30 minutes.
13. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little more water.
14. The recipe can be made to this point up to 2 days ahead.
15. Cover and refrigerate; reheat before serving.
16. Add the parsley just before serving.