naturally, i had none of the better shapes on hand to eat this with, so i settled for whole sheat spaghetti. still nom. this is one of the three things i've been able to cook since FOREVER (the other two are shortbread and mac & cheese) and, frankly, it's some of the best food there is. not to toot my own horn.
ingredients:
- olive oil
- chopped garlic
- mire poix
- (mushrooms)
- one package of "meatloaf meat" -- a combination of beef, pork and veal-- or just beef, or beef and pork, but i think the veal really adds something.
- 2 cans (32 ounces each?) of crushed tomatoes
- salt & pepper
- basil, oregano, etc. to taste (don't overdo it)
- (heavy cream/half & half, etc.)
prep:
- you may need to chop your own mire poix if tj's was ALL OUT
- (and your mushrooms, which aren't part of mire poix, but work nicely)
- and your garlic if you don't get it out of a jar
actual cooking:
- cover the bottom of a large pot over medium/high heat with olive oil
- add garlic, cook about 1 minute
- add mire poix (& mushrooms), cook until softened slightly
- add meat and cook until nothing's pink, stirring constantly
- (pour off fat if there's lots)
- add crushed tomatoes, herbs & salt & pepper
- allow to simmer for a good long time-- an hour or so, at least you can't really overcook it unless you're trying very hard
- add a splash of cream just before serving
obviously, this is most often served over pasta, go for something that will grip the chunks like corkscrews or shells.
