Pasquale's meat sauce
I've been making variations of this for years - but tonight I reached a personal best, apparently due to some slight changes. This recipe will make a heavy (on the) meat, rich dish. I recommend using ingredients from some place decent, like Whole foods, Sunflower Markets, Trader Joe's, etc.
- 1-1.5 pounds 85% lean ground beef (the leaner, the better it'll be; also, 93% needs no draining)
- garlic powder
- cayenne pepper (I use powder)
- 1 16oz jar of marinara sauce
- oregano (fresh will be even better)
additions for optional version:
- parsley (again, fresh will be even better)
- olive oil (I use a kalamata extra virgin for it's strong flavour)
- a very wet red wine
- salt
Set burner to medium. Place meat in pan, spreading it out. Dash on garlic and cayenne, and mix around while meat is heating up and cooking. When brown, but while still juicy, reduce burner to less than low, and remove pan to pour off juice (if there is much). Put pan back on burner, pour in 3/4 to whole of jar of marinara, dash in oregano, stir, cover, and let simmer ten minutes.
At this point, it's ready to eat.
However. You can also let it sit for a while and....age. Lastly, for the optional addition version: dash salt, parsley, olive oil (about 2 tablespoons), about 1/2 cup of wine, and stir. Again, you can either eat now or let sit for a spell. Dish out and eat as-is, throw on pasta, add in any italian dish calling for saucy meat, add potatoes, whatever.