Ingredients (serves 8)

• 3 Tbsp Margarine
• 3 Tbsp Olive oil
• 1 Medium onion, finely diced
• 3 Carrots, finely diced
• 3 Celery stalks, finely diced
• 1/2 Red capsicum, finely diced
• 1 Garlic clove, minced
• 200g Diced bacon
• 500g Mince
• 300g Tomato paste
• 1 1/2 C Milk
• 2 C Red wine
• 8 Tomatoes, diced
• 2 C Vegetable stock
• 600g Pasta

Method

1. Heat margarine and olive oil over medium heat in a heavy bottom stock pot. Add onion, carrots, celery and capsicum and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
2. Add the garlic and heat for 1 minute.
3. Add bacon and mince, cook for 25 minutes until thoroughly browned.
4. Add in tomato paste, stir and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Add in milk, stir and cook until the milk is almost completely absorbed, 10-15 minutes.
6. Add in the red wine, stir and cook until the pan is almost dry, 20-25 minutes.
7. Add in tomatoes and stock, stir and bring pot to a simmer.
8. Once simmering turn the heat down to low and leave to cook for 3 hours, stir occasionally to ensure it does not stick.
9. Skim the fat/liquid layer from the surface before serving (the juice from the meat just cooks out and rises to the surface, it';s fine to eat but not necessary and can look funny when the sauce has cooled).

Notes

This recipe takes a long time to make but it is well worth the time put in, plus, unless you're having a dinner party there should be more than enough left over to freeze half the sauce for another meal, just only cook 300g pasta if you're going to save the sauce. Also, this recipe is great for sneaking vegetables into tiny children, we used to puree it for our baby and it's still one of her favourite meals.