Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion (1 medium), celery (1 stalk), and carrot (1 medium) (soffritto). Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes.

Do not brown—we want soft and sweet, not caramelized • Onions are translucent, not golden • Sweet vegetable aroma

Add ground beef (1 lb). Break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring, until meat loses its raw color but is not browned hard. Season with salt (1 tsp) and pepper.

Do not brown too hard—we want soft meat, not burger crust • Beef is gray-pink, broken into small pieces • Savory meat aroma

Add milk and nutmeg (¼ tsp). Stir well. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the milk has completely evaporated. This can take 30-45 minutes.

You must let the milk disappear before adding wine—rushing causes curdling • No white liquid, just meat and vegetables • Sweet, creamy aroma fades as milk evaporates

Add white wine. Simmer until the wine has completely evaporated, about 20 minutes.

Cook wine out completely before adding tomatoes or it will taste sour • Pan looks dry again • Sharp alcohol smell fades

Add crushed tomatoes. Stir well. Reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Simmer very gently, uncovered, for 3-4 hours. Stir every 30 minutes. Add a splash of water if it looks too dry.

Low and slow—if it boils hard, the sauce dries out and the meat toughens • Sauce is orange-brown, not red. Fat glistens on surface. • Deep, rich, meaty aroma

Taste and adjust salt (1 tsp). Serve over pasta (traditionally tagliatelle or pappardelle), tossing with pasta water to help the sauce coat.

Toss sauce with hot pasta and pasta water for best coating • Sauce coats pasta thickly