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My Dad's Spaghetti Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Scratch" by Maria Rodale


Recipe Introduction

"My dad didn't make dinner very often, but when he did, this was his specialty. It's a Bolognese sauce, but we didn't call it that. His secret ingredient was maple syrup. He also used a bit of red wine, but since we're now an alcohol-free household we just skip that part; but feel free to add about â…“ cup. You can also use sausage instead of beef."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 1 white onion, chopped
â—¦ 1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic, chopped
â—¦ 1 pound ground beef
â—¦ 3 cups tomato sauce, store-bought or homemade
â—¦ 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
â—¦ 1 tablespoon maple syrup
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ 1 pound spaghetti
â—¦ Grated Romano cheese, for serving


Recipe

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper (if using), and cook, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes, until starting to brown and soften. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until golden.

Add the ground beef and cook for five minutes, stirring, or until browned. Add the tomato sauce and paste, Italian seasoning, maple syrup, and salt to taste and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, or until thickened slightly.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain the pasta and divide among four bowls. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and pass grated Romano at the table.

Serves 4