Italian Meat Sauce for Pasta or Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground beef (80/20 blend)
• 0.5 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 medium Yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 medium Carrot, finely diced
• 1 medium Celery stalk, finely diced
• 3 cloves Fresh garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
• 28 ounces Crushed tomatoes
• 0.5 cup Beef or chicken stock
• 0.5 cup Red wine (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Dried basil
• 1 whole Bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (optional, for serving)