Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 small carrot, peeled, chopped
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground beef chuck
Kosher salt
⅓ cup tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Pinch of finely grated nutmeg
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
1 lb. tagliatelle or pappardelle
2 oz. finely grated Parmesan (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
Directions:
- Pulse onion, celery, and carrot in a food processor until very finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add beef to pot; season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring to break meat apart, until beef is browned but not crisp, 6–8 minutes.
- Add onion mixture to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft and beginning to stick to surface, 6–8 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, bay leaf, and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally and still pressing down on meat, until tomato paste is slightly darkened, about 5 minutes.
- Pour stock and milk into pot; add a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until meat is very, very tender, 2–2½ hours. There shouldn’t be any rapid bubbles at this stage. Instead, the sauce should release the occasional small bubble or two. When finished, the sauce should have the texture of and look like a sloppy joe mixture. If the liquid reduces before the meat is completely tender, add an extra ½ cup stock and continue cooking. Discard bay leaf. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt; keep warm.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water about 2 minutes less than package directions.
- Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with sauce. Add 1 cup pasta cooking liquid and ½ cup Parmesan. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer pasta to a platter and top with more Parmesan.
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