In a medium stock pot (3-4 quart), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent. Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Stir in the can of tomato sauce, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until onions are completely tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender to puree into a smooth sauce.

 While onions cook, heat a large stock pot (8 quart) over medium-high heat and brown the ground meat, breaking into fine crumbles as it cooks. Remove all fat from the pot (tilt the pot and use a ladle to transfer fat to an empty soup that can be thrown away). Return to medium heat and add salt, oregano, basil, parsley, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, red wine, remaining three (3) cans of tomato product, and the pureed onion/sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 1½ - 2 hours.

 While sauce simmers, make gastrique: in a small saucepan, combine red wine vinegar and sugar. Heat to boiling over medium heat and continue to boil until mixture reduces by at least half, bubbles breaking on surface get bigger, and mixture looks slightly syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside. When there is about 10 minutes remaining for the sauce simmering, add the gastrique, stir thoroughly and taste to adjust seasoning, adding salt, granulated sugar, or black pepper as desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.

 *  NOTE: Specific canned tomato products are listed so the sauce has the thickness we like, but can be changed to any combination of canned sauce, puree, crushed, or whole, peeled tomatoes using the same size cans. (Avoid using more than two cans of whole peeled so the sauce isn’t too thin.)