Pre-heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat.

Add the olive oil and sauté the onion, carrots and celery until the vegetables start to soften – about 6 minutes. Stir in the fennel seeds and fresh thyme and cook for another minute or so. Add the meats to the Dutch oven and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Break the chunks up with a wooden spoon as you brown the meat until there is no pink left visible.

Pour in the milk and stir, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to incorporate any bits of flavor. Increase the heat a little and simmer until the milk has almost entirely disappeared – about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and continue to simmer until it too has almost disappeared – another 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer (with a lid askew) for at least 2 hours.

Thirty minutes before you are ready to serve, add the beef stock and the penne and return the mixture to a full simmer. Continue to simmer for another 25 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with Parmesan cheese at the table.