Chop the onion (to taste, I prefer it a bit coarser) and fry it with the minced meat in a not too small pot. Normally no oil is necessary, because the meat itself contains enough fat. The minced meat should already become crumbly and it doesn’t matter at all if it gets a little color and a brown set forms at the bottom. When browning, season the meat with salt, pepper and sugar. Once it gets color, deglaze with water and add the bay leaves and roast stock (to taste). If you prefer a lot of meat in the sauce, use a little water. If you prefer it a little thinner (or are expecting 2 more people to visit), use a little more. The sauce will be thickened later.
Now let it cook a bit, time is not critical. The sauce is ready, only the bay leaves have to release their aroma.
Season everything again with salt, pepper and possibly Maggi seasoning mix 1.
Thicken with brown sauce thickener (gives the whole thing a stronger color) or classically with cornstarch until it has the desired consistency. Eat the minced meat sauce with your favorite pasta (e.g. tagliatelle). If you like, you can add a little garlic to the sauce or sprinkle some Parmesan on the portions (but please use real Parmesan and not Grana, it doesn’t taste good).
