2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 small carrot, pared and finely chopped
1/2 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 can tomatoes or use fresh
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon each salt and basil or about 3 leaves, chopped, fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
dash pepper
1 bay leaf
1 pound uncooked spaghetti
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat olive oil in 12 inch noncorrosive skillet over medium heat. Add onion; saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat into fine pieces, until meat loses its raw color, about 6 minutes. Do not brown. Stir carrot and celery into meat mixture; cook over medium high heat 2 minutes. Stir in wine and cook until wine is evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in milk and nutmeg; reduce heat to medium and cook until milk is evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Press tomatoes and their liquid through sieve into bowl; discard seeds. Stir sieved tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, salt and seasonings into meat mixture. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaporated and sauce is thick, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf. Just before serving time, cook spaghetti in large kettle of boiling salted water just until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain well. Ladle meat sauce over spaghetti in heated bowl. Sprinkle cheese on top.
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