Instructions

1. In a large caste-iron pot over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add ground chuck to pan, season with a sprinkle of salt, then use a hard spatula to break up meat into small pieces. The smaller the better, so just keep going until the meat is as fine as you can get it. Cook until meat is no longer pink, then remove from pot.
2. Without cleaning, place the pot back on the stove over medium heat (it’s ok if a few small pieces of meat remain). Add in remaining tablespoon of butter, then add in celery, carrot, and onion. Cook until vegetables sweat and are nicely translucent, 5-7 minutes.
3. Add meat back into pot, then add in wine and cook until all the steam evaporates off. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of nutmeg (even less than 1/8 teaspoon), then stir in the DeLallo crushed tomatoes, and 2 bay leaves.
4. Bring everything to a boil, then turn heat to simmer and add in milk. Cook uncovered for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. If sauce starts to look dry, add in 1/2 cup water. Once finished cooking, discard bay leaves and adjust salt seasoning, if necessary.
5. Boil a large pot of rigatoni, cooking to al dente. Drain pasta and place in a large mixing bowl. Toss with sauce, coating completely. Place on a serving bowl and top with a healthy sprinkling of parmigiano cheese!