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Warm olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic, stirring to coat in the oil. Cook until soft (but not browned), stirring occasionally (8 to 10 minutes).
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Increase heat to medium-high, then add bacon, beef and pork, stirring to break up clumps. Cook until all meat is browned (15 - 20 minutes). Add tomato paste, stir to combine and cook for 30 minutes. Be sure you stir occasionally to keep the bottom from burning.
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Add milk and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high, add wine, bring mixture to a boil and cook until the liquid has evaporated (about 5 minutes). Scrape up any bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add water and thyme, bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The mixture should not be liquidy. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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This recipe makes enough sauce for 2 to 3 pounds of pasta. You'll need 4 cups of the mixture above for 1 pound of pasta. Once I finished cooking the sauce, I transferred everything to large bowl, then scooped out 4 cups into a smaller, heavy-bottomed pot. Cover the remaining sauce and store in the refrigerator.
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To serve, cook pasta (pappardelle pictured above) in large pot of salted water. While the pasta is cooking, warm sauce over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. 1 minute before the pasta reaches al dente, drain and transfer to the pot with the sauce, reserving 1 cup of cooking water. Gently stir the pasta to combine with the sauce. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the cooking water to thin out the sauce, adding more if needed. Stir in 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
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Divide pasta amongst dinner plates and finish with extra Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.