Simple Bolognese Sauce

Directions

1. 1
   1.
2. 2
   Heat olive in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, dried herbs, and pepper flakes and saute until the onion is softened but not browned, about 6 minutes.
3. 3
   Add garlic.
4. 4
   Add ground meat and 1 teaspoon salt and crumble meat with edge of wooden spoon to break apart into tiny pieces.
5. 5
   Cook, continuing to crumble meat, just until it loses its raw color but has not yet browned, about 3 minutes.
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   2.
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   Add milk and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until milk evaporates and only clear fat remains, about 10 minutes.
8. 8
   Add wine and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until wine evaporates, about 10 minutes longer.
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   3.
10. 10
    Add canned crushed and chopped whole tomatoes and their juice and bring to simmer; add dried bay leaves; reduce heat to low so that sauce continues to simmer just barely, with an occasional bubble or two at the surface.
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    Cook until liquid sauce is very thick, about 2 1/2 -3 hours.
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    4.
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    Adjust seasonings with extra salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and serve over hot pasta of your choice.
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    (Can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days or frozen for several months.
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    Warm over low heat before serving.)