The first thing to do is to roast the bell pepper. Cut your bell pepper into strips about 1 inch wide, removing the seeds as you go. Make sure the pepper is dry and put the slices on a small, foiled baking sheet, skin side up. Broil until the skin is very blistered and blackened. Remove to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and wait about 10 minutes before removing the skin. Dice the prepared pepper and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then add the beef and sausage and brown over medium-high heat. Remove the meat to a larger pot that you will cook the sauce in. Turn the skillet to medium heat and add the onion, cooking until translucent. Add the tomato paste for about 30 seconds, then transfer the entire contents to the pot with the meat.

Next, add the roasted bell pepper, tomato puree, wine, sugar, all dried herbs, salt, and red pepper flakes to the pot and bring just to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often.

Once boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil and oregano and cook for 20 more minutes, covered.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a few tablespoons of kosher salt and stir – the water should taste like the ocean. Add your pasta to the water and cook 60-70% of the recommended al-dente cooking time on the packaging. For ours, it's about 7 minutes.

While your pasta partially cooks, add about a cup of sauce to a large mixing bowl. Remove the pasta from the water and drain, then add it to the mixing bowl with the sauce to coat. This will ensure the pasta doesn’t stick together.

Preheat the oven to 375°F

Put a layer of meat sauce in a casserole dish (about 9x12) or large, high-walled oven-safe pan. Add half of your sauce coated pasta to the dish. Add a layer of sauce followed by half of the provolone, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Add the rest of the pasta and another layer of sauce on top of the pasta and cover with the remaining provolone, mozzarella, and all the Parmesan.

Bake, uncovered for about 50 minutes, or until bubbling nearer to the center and the cheese on top has melted and started to brown slightly.

Serve with additional grated Parmesan, fresh basil, and red pepper flakes, if desired.