An Old Family Recipe: THE MEAT SAUCE: My Gift to You

So, gravy, as my grandma calls it, is a labor of love - it requires patience, great, fresh ingredients, and quite an amount of your time. My grandmother's recipe of Meat Sauce is a WINNER, there is no doubt about that. Furthermore, you can use it for a variety of different dishes, such as Lasagna al Forno, Pasta al Forno, Baked Manicotti, or simply, Pasta Bolognese...and I am sure an endless number of dishes more! Now, my grandma always said you know your meat sauce has been done right when you can put a spoon in the center of the pot at the end of its cooking time and it will stand up by itself. SO please, do this recipe - I can't express how amazing all of the flavors are. From my family to yours, here it is:

For the Meat Sauce:
2 Medium Onions, chopped
8 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lb each of Ground beef Sirloin, Veal, and Pork
1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage (remove the casing by cutting the sausage length-wise and pulling it right off!)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 cups Dry Red Wine (REMEMBER TO ALWAYS USE A WINE THAT YOU WOULD DRINK - College Students, I have faith in your alcohol abilities)
4 (28 oz) Cans of Tomato Puree
Using the same can, add 2 cans of water
10 leaves of Fresh Basil
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
A Soup Pot


OVER MEDIUM HEAT
1) In a large saucepan cook the onion and garlic with the olive oil over medium heat, until soft and translucent about 5 minutes.

2) Stir in the meat elements, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is just about cooked though. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute.

3) Add the tomato puree and water. Partially cover the pan, turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 4 hours checking on it every now and then and just giving it a stir.

4) After 4 hours, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the basil leaves partially tearing them as you add them in.  Turn heat off and let sit for 10 minutes. DO NOT ADD FRESH BASIL EARLY BECAUSE COOKING IT WILL MAKE IT BITTER.

5) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Don't forget to dip some delicious crusty Italian bread into the gravy after making it. IT'S SUCH A GOOD IDEA. Besides, it gives you a legitimate reason to have a small nom-nom-nom! Mangia Bene!