• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped pancetta
• ½ cup chopped celery, both stalk and leaves
• ½ cup chopped carrot
• 4 whole bay leaves
• ¼ cup juniper berries
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, with their juice, or ripe, firm, fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeds scooped away
• Salt
• Black pepper ground fresh
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Suggested Pasta

Good homemade noodles will be quite delicious with this sauce, particularly the broad cut known as pappardelle. Boxed dry pasta can be equally satisfying if you choose a short tubular shape such as penne or maccheroncini.

1. Put all the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan with the chopped onion and pancetta, and turn on the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the onion becomes colored a light gold, then add the celery, carrot, bay leaves, and juniper berries.
2. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, then add the wine. Let the wine bubble away for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes, salt, and liberal grindings of black pepper. Turn the heat down to medium and cook at a gentle, but steady simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the fat begins to separate from the sauce, as described in the Note. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
3. Cook and drain the pasta and toss it immediately and thoroughly with the sauce, mixing into it the remaining tablespoon of butter and the grated Parmesan. Serve promptly.