In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Add the diced onion, grated carrots, diced celery, and kosher salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes until they're soft and slightly browned.
1 large (about 2 cups) yellow onion, 2 large (about 2 cups) carrots, 4 stalks (about 1 ½ cups) celery, 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Push the vegetables to the side of the pot and add the ground beef, grated garlic, and black pepper. Break the beef up into small pieces and cook until it's no longer pink and most of the liquid has cooked off.
2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 pounds ground beef
Reduce the heat to low and pour in the milk. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the milk has evaporated.
1 ½ cups low-fat milk
Sprinkle in the ground nutmeg and stir everything together.
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
1 cup white wine
Add the canned tomatoes to the pot. Use your spoon to break them into smaller pieces.
1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
Let the sauce simmer uncovered on low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If it looks like it's drying out before 2 hours, add ½ cup of water. By the end, the sauce should be thick, with a bit of fat on top and very little liquid left.
About 30 minutes before the sauce is done, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Cook the linguine to al dente according to the package instructions. Before you drain the pasta, save about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water.
1 pound linguine
Add the drained pasta and the reserved pasta water to the pot with the bolognese sauce.
Toss the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is well coated. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh herbs if desired.
Parmesan cheese or fresh herbs