Spaghetti Bolognese

Total time: 60 minutes
   This is a true Northern Italian meat sauce based on one found in the Time Life "Foods of the World, Italian,' book.  It's not the tomato-y sauce that we have come to expect as the standard.  It's full-flavored and fantastic, filled with minced vegetables and meat; but it's not thick. 

 Ingredients:

• fresh pasta, 8oz (240gr),  spaghetti, linguini, fettuccini  or 4oz (120gr) dry
• 2 tbs Greek yogurt, crème fraiche or milk
• 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2  - 2 cups Ragù Bolognese
• Ragù Bolognese: 
• 4oz (120gr) Prosciutto
• 4oz (120gr) ground pork
• 16oz (480gr) ground beef
• 1 large onion, about 1 cup minced
• 1 medium carrot, about 1/3 cup minced
• 2 ribs celery, about 2/3 cup minced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) white wine
• 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) beef stock
• 2 cups (15oz, 450gr) whole tomatoes
• 4 tbs tomato paste or 1 small can
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• a pinch of nutmeg

 Instructions:

• Roughly chop the carrots, celery, garlic and onion.  Then, very, very finely mince the vegetables.   Do it in a food processor, or blender if you can, but stop before you make paste.  If doing it by hand, make a mound on the cutting board, half at a time.  With a large chef knife, mince them using a rocking motion.
• Heat 1 tbs oil in nonstick skillet.  Add the vegetables and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes.  Remove and put into a large sauce pan. 
• Finely chop/slice the ham.  Put the ham, pork and beef into the same skillet. Sauté until cooked through and brown, breaking it up as small as you can.
• Pour in the wine, turn the heat up and boil until most of the liquid has cooked off, stirring to get up any browned bits in the skillet.
• Add the meat and remaining liquid to the vegetables. 
• Roughly chop tomatoes, reserving all juices.
• Add stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and nutmeg to sauce.
• Bring to a boil, stir well, cover partially, reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Refrigerate unused sauce for later or freeze for up to 4 months.
• Spaghetti Bolognese
• Cook pasta according to package directions. 
• Combine crème fraiche with sauce. 
• Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve, Parmesan on the side.

Note: The cream or crème fraiche is added when served over pasta.