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1
For the sauce: Drop the chunks of onion, carrot, and celery into the food processor, and mince finely to an even-textured pestata.
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2
Dump the ground pork into a large bowl and break up any lumps.
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3
Pour the olive oil into the big saucepan, and set over medium-high heat.
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4
Scrape in the pestata, stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt, and spread it around the pan.
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5
Cook, stirring occasionally, as the vegetables wilt and dry, until they just begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.
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6
Drop the peperoncino into a hot spot on the pan bottom for a few moments, then stir it into the pestata.
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7
Lower the heat to medium, drop in the bay leaves, then scatter the ground pork into the pan, again breaking up any clumps of meat with your fingers.
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8
Sprinkle the remaining teaspoon salt over it, and stir everything together.
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9
Keep tossing the meat and breaking up any clumps until it starts sizzling and releasing its juices.
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10
Raise the heat a bit, and cook until all the meat juices have evaporatedabout 15 minutesstirring frequently.
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11
When the meat is dry and lightly caramelized, pour in the white wine, stir well, raise the heat a bit more, and simmer until the wine has evaporated completely, about 2 or 3 minutes.
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12
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, and stir with the meat.
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13
Slosh the tomato containers with 2 cups of hot stock or water (to get all the good juices), and stir this into the sauce along with the chopped basil.
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14
Set the cover on the pot, and bring the sauce to a simmer, then set the cover slightly ajar, and adjust the heat to keep it bubbling gently.
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15
Simmer the sauce for about an hour, letting it reduce slowly, then stir in another cup or so of hot stock, so the meat is just covered by liquid.
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16
Let the sauce cook and reduce for another hour, then stir in the fourth cup of stock, or more if needed, and simmer for another hour3 hours total.
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17
If the sauce is thin, uncover the pot and cook over higher heat, stirring, to reduce and concentrate to a consistency you like.
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18
Adjust the seasoning, stirring in more salt to taste.
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19
You can use some or all of the sauce right away, or let it cool, then refrigerate or freeze any amount.
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20
Cooled or chilled sauce will have thickened; reheat it slowly, stirring in more stock or water to loosen it.
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21
For cooking and finishing the pasta: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil.
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22
To dress the whole 1-pound batch of maccheroni, put 3 cups or so of the meat sauce into the wide skillet; loosen with stock or water if necessary, and heat to a simmer.
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23
Shake excess flour off the fresh maccheroni, and drop the strands into the boiling water, stirring and separating the strands.
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24
Return the water to a rolling boil, and cook the pasta for about 4 minutes, until barely al dente.
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25
Quickly lift out the maccheroni and drop them into the skillet.
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26
Continuously toss the pasta in the simmering sauce until all the strands are coated and perfectly al dente.
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27
Adjust the consistency of the sauce if necessary: thin it with hot pasta water, or thicken it quickly by cooking down over higher heat.
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28
Turn off the heat, sprinkle a cup or so of grated cheese over the maccheroni, and toss well.
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29
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, toss again, and heap the pasta in warm bowls.
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30
Serve immediately, with more cheese at the table.
