Comfort Foods

ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Serves 8

This is the original Americanized version of spaghetti sauce that has been the favorite budget-conscious dish to feed a crowd for as long as I can remember. When I was a child, special seasonings and mushrooms were not readily available, so it was usually seasoned only with parsley – and tomato paste was often substituted for the tomato sauce. It is a versatile dish, freezes well and is easily made in very large quantities. The Lipton Soup is my own addition and it does add an indefinable something, but can be omitted whenever you don’t have any in the pantry. Sometimes I add ½ condensed beef broth if I don’t have the dried soup. It’s usually very good no matter what you do – just taste as it cooks and make adjustment to seasoning and thickness to suit your preference. The reason the peppers and mushrooms are added near the end of cooking is they cook fairly quickly and can get a little mushy if added too early. If you want to prepare it in a crock pot and let it cook unattended, just include them with the onions at the beginning.

2 lb. lean ground beef

4 teaspoon Italian Herb Seasoning Blend

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

12 fennel seeds, slightly crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh)

1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 envelope Lipton Onion-Mushroom soup mix

1/2 cup water

1 medium green bell pepper chopped

8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)

1/2 cup red wine (burgundy, merlot or Chianti)

Grated parmesan cheese

Brown the ground beef and drain all the fat and liquid. Add onion and garlic and cook a minute or two. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce and stir to mix thoroughly. Add a11 other ingredients except bell peppers, mushrooms and wine. When sauce begins to bubble, add wine and cook 2 minutes, then reduce heat to simmer and cook 2 or 3 hours, adding water as necessary as sauce thickens. Add the bell peppers during the last hour of cooking and add the mushrooms about 30 minutes before you plan to serve. Taste to correct seasoning – add salt and pepper if needed. Stir in 4 tablespoons parmesan cheese and heat a couple of minutes before ladling sauce on thin spaghetti or vermicelli, which has been cooked according to package directions. Serve with additional cheese and red pepper flakes.

For a change, substitute 1 pound of hot or mild Italian sausage for 1 pound of the ground beef.

BOLOGNESE SAUCE

This is the classic ragu (stew style sauce), with a predominantly meat taste instead of the tomato emphasis that is most common in Americanized Italian sauce dishes. It is heavy and filling best saved for a chilly or damp day, but is a wonderful alternative to the customary pasta sauce. You can make it extra special by substituting 1/2 pound ground veal for 1/2 pound of the beef, but ground veal is not always available.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup each finely chopped celery and carrots
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
1 tablespoon Herbs De Provence (or 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 can Campbell's chicken broth
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
1 small can tomato sauce (if needed)
Salt and pepper to taste
Additional fresh herbs at end of cooking time (optional)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, bell pepper and garlic and sauté until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, brown beef and pork in separate pan, breaking up meat with back of fork. Drain meat and add to vegetables. Add seasonings and stir well – simmer a few minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add milk and cook at low boil until all liquid evaporates (about 10 minutes). Add wine and cook at low boil for about 10 minutes. Add chicken broth and tomatoes with their juices. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 1 hour 30 minutes, adding more broth or water if mixture is too thick and stirring occasionally, and skimming fat as it rises to the surface. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add mushrooms and optional tomato sauce if a more intense tomato flavor is desired. If available, add some fresh herbs – thyme, chopped basil, oregano, parsley. Cook at least 30 minutes longer, covered. Adjust salt and pepper seasoning. At this point, sauce can be held over low heat for up to an hour.

Cook pasta – spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine, drain and transfer to large warm bowl. Add some sauce and toss until well-coated. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve, passing a bowl or sauce and remaining Parmesan separately.

Makes 6 servings.