Butcher's Sauce - Slower Cooker Pasta Sauce

The Butcher's Sauce

Recipe excerpt from The Italian Slow Cooker. Browse more recipes from the book: • Chicken Parmesan Heroes • Chocolate Truffle Cake

The Butcher's Sauce Makes about 10 cups Whenever I do a lot of cooking, my freezer collects an assortment of small quantities of different meats: a half pound of ground beef, a pork chop, an extra sausage, or a chicken breast. I chop it all in the food processor and make this delicious pasta sauce, which in Puglia in southern Italy is known as butcher's sauce. Don't hesitate to use a different combination of meats, according to what you have. Serve it as they do in Puglia with orecchiette, cavatelli, or another chunky pasta. Ingredients: 1 large onion, chopped 2 medium celery ribs, chopped 2 medium carrots, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 pound ground beef 1/2 pound ground pork 1/2 pound ground lamb 2 tablespoons tomato paste Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 (28-ounce) cans Italian peeled tomatoes packed in tomato puree, chopped Instructions: 1. In a large skillet, cook the vegetables and garlic in the olive oil, stirring often, until tender and golden but not browned, about 10 minutes. If the onion starts to color, add a tablespoon or two of water and lower the heat slightly. 2. Add the meats and cook, breaking up lumps with the back of a spoon, until lightly browned. Stir in the tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste. 3. Add the wine and bring the mixture to a simmer. 4. Pour the tomatoes and their puree into a large slow cooker. Scrape the meat and vegetables into the cooker and stir well. 5. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours, or until the sauce is thick.