Makarónia me Kimá — Greek Bolognese with Kefalotyri

Heat the Greek EVOO in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and pork, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, cinnamon stick, dried oregano (rigani), bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavor.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well.

Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf from the meat sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve the pasta immediately, topped generously with the Makaronia me Kima sauce. Grate plenty of Kefalotyri cheese over each serving.