Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup ground veal
1/2 cup ground pork
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dry porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and chopped,
liquid reserved
2 tablespoons porcini juice, reserved from above
3/4 cup veal stock

1/4 cup canned or jarred marinara sauce
1/3 cup white wine
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the oil
over medium heat. Add the onions and cook gently to sweat for about 2 minutes. Do not let
the onions caramelize. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook about 1 minute, or until
garlic is lightly browned.

Add the veal and pork and cook, smashing the meat apart with a wooden spoon, to keep it
from clumping together. Cook for about 2 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the mushrooms and continue to cook about 4 minutes, evaporating any liquid and
caramelizing the meat.

Add the porcini juice to the meat and cook for 1 minute to evaporate. Add the veal stock
and cook for 2 minutes. Add the marinara and the wine. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 to
4 minutes. Stir in the parsley.

Toss 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan into the sauce to help it bind. Add some reserved pasta
water, as necessary, if the sauce appears too dry. Top with the remaining Parmesan.
Marinara Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 cups fresh tomato puree
1 large fresh basil stem with leaves removed
1 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
Pinch baking soda or sugar, if needed

Heat the olive oil in a large non-reactive pot over moderate heat. Add the onion and saute
until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the parsley and garlic and cook briefly to release
their fragrance. Add the tomatoes, basil and salt. Simmer briskly until reduced to a sauce

like consistency, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. The
timing will depend on the ripeness and meatiness of your tomatoes and the size of your
pot. If the sauce thickens too much before the flavors have developed, add a little water
and continue cooking.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the sauce tastes too acidic, add the baking soda and
cook for 5 more minutes. If it needs a touch of sweetness, add the sugar and cook for 5
more minutes. Remove the basil stem before serving.

Yield: 4 cups