Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces Spanish-style chorizo, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 1/4 pounds ground beef, see headnote
• 1 teaspoon kosher or salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste or puree
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 cups fruity red wine, such as Pinot noir or Merlot
• 1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 rind Parmesan, optional
• 1-2 teaspoons fish sauce, optional
• 1 pound dried pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, garganelli, or tagliatelle, fresh or dried
• Parmesan or pecorino cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Set the oven to 275ºF (120ºC) so it can heat while you start the sauce.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the sliced chorizo and cook it, giving it a stir now and then, until it is hot and has given off some of its oil. Lift the chorizo out with a slotted spoon, then put the garlic and onions into the same pot. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Add the beef to the pot. Sprinkle it lightly with salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper, then cook and stir until the beef is browned and no longer raw, about 5 to 10 minutes. Mix in the tomato paste, sun-dried tomato puree, and oregano. Pour in the wine gradually, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom as you go.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, bay leaves, Parmesan rind, if you are using it, and the cooked chorizo. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, then take the pot off the heat, cover it, and move it to the oven to braise for 3 hours. You do not need to stir it during this time.
5. After 3 hours, take the pot out of the oven. Carefully taste the sauce, since it will be very hot, and adjust with more salt and pepper, plus fish sauce if you want to use it. Discard the bay leaves and Parmesan rind. If there is excess oil on top, skim it off with a tablespoon or turkey baster and throw it away.
6. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, then scoop out 1 cup (250ml) of the cooking water before draining. Add the hot pasta to the sauce, stirring in a little of the saved pasta water if the sauce needs loosening. Spoon into bowls and serve with Parmesan or Pecorino cheese on the side for grating.