Italian Gravy W/ Chicken and Sausage

From Jeff Smith, "Cooking with Wine" I have been making it for over 20 years.

• Ready In: 4 hrs
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 (28 ounce) cans tomato puree
• 6  ounces tomato paste
• 4  cups  chicken stock
• 2  cups dry red wine
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 2  medium yellow onions, chopped fine
• 2  stalks celery & leaves, chopped fine
• 1  carrot, scrubbed and grated
• 1⁄2 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, minced
• 1⁄2 lb white button mushrooms, fresh, tops & stems, chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
• 1  tablespoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1  teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2  bay leaves, whole
• 1  tablespoon dried basil
• 2  whole cloves (I do not add) (optional)
• 1⁄2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 2  boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1  lb Italian sausage, with casings removed (mild or hot)

Directions

1. In a deep pot:
2. Cook sausage until no longer pink, breaking up into pieces. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.
3. Add olive oil to pot, sautee onions, garlic, celery and carrot until tender.
4. Add tomato sauce and puree, chicken stock and red wine. Add all remaining ingredients.
5. Bring to boil and simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring often. *I simmer for several hours.
6. Break up / shred chicken with wooden spoon as it becomes tender while simmering.
7. Serve over your favorite cooked pasta and top with freshly grated Parmesan-Regiano cheese.
8. Freezes well.