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                Oven bolognese

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Oh My Gastronomy, this is so wonderful a belly-warming meal, it makes you feel like you're getting a big hug.  Fancy egg pasta makes it perfect, but this sauce is so good any kind will be very enjoyable.


1    pound ground beef
1    pound ground pork
4    oz. applewood smoked bacon, diced
1    large onion, finely diced
1    large carrot, finely diced
2    large cloves garlic, minced
1    15 oz. can tomato sauce
28    oz. canned italian plum tomatoes, in their juice crushed with your hands
2    cups red wine
1/2    cup whole or 2% milk
2    tsp. dried Italian herb mix

Preheat oven to 325.  Place an ovenproof, large heavy pot over medium high heat.  Begin frying bacon, then as it starts to sizzle, crumble in ground meats.  Brown meat all over, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.  When meat is no longer pink, add onions, carrots and garlic to pot and cook until onions turn translucent.

Add milk to pot and mix well.  Simmer a minute or two, then add the crushed up tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine and herbs to the pot.  Bring to a boil, cover, and place in oven for 2 hours. 

Check for thickness and stir well, then continue cooking for 30 minutes if still too liquid, or turn off oven and let it sit in there to keep warm and rest for up to 2 hours.  Toss with hot cooked pasta and serve.