3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Cup (packed) minced yellow onion
1/2 Cup (packed) minced green bell pepper
1/4 Cup (packed) minced red bell pepper
2 Tablespoons minced celery-two stalks
6 Cloves minced garlic
2 Cups canned tomato puree
2 Tablespoon (rounded) tomato paste
1 Cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 Cup molasses
2 Teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 Fresh plum tomatoes, skinned, seeded and coarsely chopped to measure 1 1/2 cups packed (You can use whole canned tomatoes, removed the seeds)
1 Teaspoon dried oregano
Black pepper
1 Pounds ground beef
Hamburger buns
To prepare the sauce: Heat a 2 1/2-quart saucepan over medium heat and when hot, add 3 tablespoons oil.
When oil is hot, stir in minced onion, green and red pepper, celery and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat until vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in Tomato puree ,tomato paste, ketchup, vinegar, molasses and Worcestershire sauce.
Bring mixture to a simmer and turn heat down to very low. Simmer sauce with the cover ajar for 1 hour.
Turn heat off and set skillet aside.
After sauce has been simmering for 1hour, uncover and add prepared fresh tomatoes, oregano, and some black pepper. This is where you taste it and see if it needs any other seasoning.
Bring Back to a simmer and cook with the cover ajar for 30 minutes more.
Uncover and let cool until needed
Heat a 10-inch deep-sided skillet over medium heat and, when hot, add the ground meat and break up with a wooden spoon.
Cook meat until separate and golden brown, then remove from the stove and drain out any excess fat from skillet.
Return pan to stove and stir in 1 generous cups of prepared sauce to meat. I just spoon some into the ground beef to the consistency I want.
Bring beef mixture to a gentle simmer over low heat and cook (uncovered) until flavors mingle and the mixture is piping hot throughout, about 10 minutes.
Assemble on buns.
I freeze the left over sauce and reheat the next time.