Old Italian Smokey Spaghetti Sauce

My mother always made this homemade spaghetti sauce. It is VERY different from anything in a jar. The flavor is smoky, due to the bacon. Depending on your tastes, you may want to reduce some of the bacon. It is a great fall/winter sauce and lends an interesting flavor to lasagna and baked ziti.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup butter (sometimes I omit this)
• 1  cup  finely chopped onion
• 1  lb ground beef
• 4  slices  finely chopped bacon
• 4  finely chopped garlic cloves
• 3  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1  teaspoon basil
• 1  teaspoon oregano
• 1  bay leaf
•  salt (optional)
•  fresh ground black pepper
• 1  teaspoon dry crushed red pepper
• 2  ounces red wine (chianti works best)
• 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce or 2 (15 ounce) cans tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 2  medium  finely chopped carrots
•  pasta, of choice
• 1⁄2 cup  pasta water

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over low heat in a pot large enough to hold all ingredients. Add butter and simmer until melted.
2. Add onions and sauté until lightly browned.
3. Add ground beef and bacon. Sauté until browned.
4. Drain fat from bacon and beef. (The actual recipe says to leave the fat in, but I don't like all the extra oil and fat).
5. Add garlic, parsley, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
6. Add wine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes over low heat.
7. Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, paste, and 1/2 water.
8. Bring mixture to boiling point.
9. Add the chopped carrot.
10. Cover and cook over very low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Sometimes my mother let it sit over low heat all afternoon.
11. About 20 minutes before the sauce is ready, begin cooking pasta.
12. Once the pasta is cooked reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain.
13. Stir in 1/2 cup of pasta water to the sauce and cook just a few minutes over low heat.
14. Serve sauce over pasta.