Chop the soffritto: use a chef's knife to finely chop the soffritto or use a food processor and pulse until the vegetables are chopped into fine pieces.

Cook the pancetta: in a large cast iron or Dutch oven pot, cook the pancetta in oil and melted butter for 3-5 minutes.

Add the soffritto: Once the pancetta is done, add the soffritto and cook for 3-4 minutes with a healthy pinch of salt.

Brown the mince: Next, add the ground pork and beef and cook until the meat is no longer pink and most of the liquid from the meat is absorbed.

Cook off the wine and tomato paste. Once the minced meat is cooked, add the wine and cook off the alcohol from the wine for 3-4 minutes. Stirring often. Then add the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, milk, and broth, then simmer: Once the alcohol from the wine is cooked off, add the tomatoes with the juices, 1 cup of whole milk, and ½ cup of broth. Season with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper and a healthy pinch of nutmeg, then cover the pot with a lid and cook on a very low simmer for 4-5 hours. Stir the sauce often. Note: if you want to add a Parmigiano cheese rind, add it to this step so it simmers with the sauce.

Add the herbs toward the end: As the sauce nears the end of the cooking time, stir in the chopped basil. Let the herbs cook in the sauce for at least 20-30 minutes. This is a good time to taste the sauce. Add additional salt and black pepper if needed until the flavor is just right.

Cook the pasta and serve with the sauce: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then cook the pappardelle until al dente according to the package instructions. Strain the pasta but reserve about ¾ cup of pasta water. Add the pasta and pasta water back into the pot, then add bolognese sauce as needed, with 1 cup of parmigiano reggiano cheese. Stir until all the ingredients come together, then serve with cracked black pepper and more cheese if desired. Enjoy!