Fresh bruschetta, a grilled endive salad with a balsamic reduction, and a hearty penne with a rich tomato meat sauce. Here’s a recipe inspired by the pasta dish:
Hearty Penne with Tomato Meat Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar (optional, to cut acidity)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne according to the package instructions until al dente, then drain.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef or sausage. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. If you find the acidity of the tomatoes too sharp, add a little sugar to balance it out. Add basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toss the cooked penne with the sauce, and serve with a sprinkle of fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese on top.
If you’d like to make adjustments or if you want to try out different herb combinations or go vegetarian with this sauce, just tell me what you’re in the mood for. Also, if you find any step of the recipe challenging, I can look up some tutorial videos for you. Would you like to make it simpler or see any techniques in action?
