There were a lot of things I loved about my recent trip to Italy, but something I was asked about a lot by friends, family and co-workers upon my return was how the food had been. The short answer is, of course, amazing – but I can’t stress the love and passion behind every meal we ate enough when trying to describe it. Dinners were an experience, meant to be enjoyed slowly and with good wine in the company of others.
It sounds a little strange, but I felt like not just my body was being nourished in Italy – but my mind and my spirit, as well. I never felt too full or sick after I ate – but like I’d just been a part of something really special.
Naturally, the food here in the States is a little different, but I knew that I wanted to try to recreate one of Troy’s favorite dishes once I was back home for the long weekend to see if I could capture the same flavors and lovingly prepared vibe as closely as possible. With some help from my mom, who is a pasta and tomato sauce snob (I say that as a good thing!) – I’m happy to report we came pretty close!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
6-8 SERVINGS:
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 ounces diced pancetta (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1½ cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Olive oil, as needed
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional), plus more for serving
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- 1 beef bouillon cube, crumbled, or 1 teaspoon beef bouillon paste
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ⅓ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 pound dried spaghetti
- 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1. Stir 1 tablespoon water and ½ teaspoon baking soda together in a large bowl. Add 1 pound lean ground beef and stir until well combined. Let sit for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients and begin your sauce.
2. Cook 4 ounces diced pancetta in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is lightly browned, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in 1 finely diced medium yellow onion and 3 minced garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cloves start to soften, about 4-7 minutes. If the pan begins to dry out, add up to 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Add the beef and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces, until cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. While doing this, also bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
4. Stir ¼ cup tomato paste, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) into the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until darkened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup dry red wine and 1 crumbled beef bouillon cube (or paste), and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and ⅓ cup heavy cream, and bring to a simmer.
5. Reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. If you feel the sauce needs more flavor, you can let it simmer for a longer period of time. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.
6. While the sauce is simmering, add 1 pound dried spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until nearly al dente. Save 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.
7. Add the spaghetti, ½ cup of the pasta water, and 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce sticks to the pasta, adding more pasta water a little at a time as needed to thin any of the sauce out. Serve with more grated Parmesan, red pepper flakes, and/or basil (if desired.)
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This dish was cooked side-by-side with my mom in her kitchen, so obviously it was made with love – and it tasted incredible, too! We enjoyed this one with some garlic bread (and I had a little more wine!) while watching the last rain and storm clouds from a recent and rare May Nor’easter pass over her region of Massachusetts.
It might not have been the same as looking out over the Italian alps while enjoying a meal – but it was still nice!
xo
Coffee & Chiffon 