Serves: 4-6 | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 70 mins
| Quantity | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1 1/4 lb | Ground Chuck |
| 1 tbsp | Olive Oil |
| 6 cloves | Garlic, minced |
| 1 | Onion, small diced |
| 1 1/4 tsp | Oregano, dried |
| 1 tsp | Basil, dried |
| 3/4 tsp | Thyme, dried |
| 1/2 tsp | Sage, rubbed |
| 8 oz | Mushrooms, diced |
| 1/3 cup | Wine, red |
| 15 oz | Tomato sauce (1 can) |
| 1/3 cup | Heavy cream |
| 2 tbsp | Butter |
| 1/2 lb | Spaghetti, dry |
| To taste | Basil, dried |
| To taste | Salt, kosher, coarse |
| To taste | Black pepper, freshly ground |
| To taste | Salt, table |
| To taste | Parmesan cheese, grated fine |
- Drizzle small amount of olive oil in pan and heat to medium high, just below smoke point, and add ground chuck. Sprinkle with kosher salt and allow to brown on one side, getting some crispy bits, ~5 minutes. Flip and repeat. Mix together, splitting large clumps, continue to cook if there are any remaining pink bits.
- Remove beef from pan with a slotted utensil and set aside. Leave fat and any bits that remain.
- Heat rest of olive oil on medium heat and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
- Add onion, sprinkle with kosher salt and raise heat to medium-high.
- When the onion is about halfway done (liquid is released but not evaporated), add oregano, basil, thyme, and sage. Add a small handful of the diced mushrooms.
- When liquid is mostly gone, and onion is starting to brown and leave fond in the pan, de-glaze the pan with wine. Scrape up all the fond. Cook for 1-2 minutes to cook off alcohol.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add tomato sauce and heavy cream. Let cook for ~5 minutes to let flavors come together. Adjust heat as needed to maintain simmer.
- Turn off heat, add handful of beef, and add mixture to a high speed blender. Blend for ~1 minute or until smooth. This may need to be done in batches.
- Wipe out pan, set on medium heat, add butter. When melted, add remaining mushrooms and sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Cook spaghetti according to its instructions.
- When mushrooms have cooked off their moisture, return sauce and beef to the pan and combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer while spaghetti finishes.
- Add 1/4 cup of pasta water to sauce before draining.
- Immediately before serving add basil, black pepper, and table salt to taste.
- Plate pasta, top with sauce and then parmesan cheese.
Source
An Alex original!
