My bolognaise

This takes at least two hours, and most of that is letting the sauce reduce. Give it three or four if you have the afternoon, it's better that way

Ingredients

• pasta, whatever kinda you want.
• 1lb ground beef, or half beef and half pork
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 28oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, or ½ tsp dried
• ⅓ cup whole milk or cream
• salt, to taste
• ground black pepper
• emmental or parmesan (grated)

1. The Mirepoix. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook gently, stirring now and then, until they are very soft and just starting to color. Do not rush it.
2. Add the garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook, about a minute.
3. Brown the meat. Push the vegetables to the side, add the beef, and brown it properly, breaking it up as it goes.
4. Cook the tomato paste. Stir in the paste and give it a minute or two to darken and lose its raw edge. Keep an eye on it, it goes from deep to burnt pretty fast.
5. Build the sauce. Add the crushed tomatoes and the stock, drop in the bay leaf and thyme, and bring it up to a gentle simmer.
6. Simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover it partially, and leave it alone. Two hours is the minimum. Three to four is better if you are around for it, but honestly just cook until it's the consistency you want, I like mine thicker and heartier. Top it up with a splash of stock or water if it tightens before it is ready.
7. Finish it. Stir the milk in for the last ten minutes. It rounds the whole thing out and takes the acidic edge off. Season with the salt and pepper.
8. Cook the pasta. follow the instructions on the box.
9. Enjoy.