Italian Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped celery (optional)
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 40 ounces Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms, or to taste (optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, or to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, and garlic in hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes; add beef and cook, stirring to break into small chunks, until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes more.

Stir stewed tomatoes and tomato paste with the beef mixture until smooth; add mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, sugar, nutmeg, oregano, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is flavorful, about 10 minutes.

Stir baking soda into the sauce. Continue cooking until you can taste a reduction in acidity of the sauce, about 10 minutes more.