Quick Red Meat Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 450 g ground beef (or 225 g beef + 225 g pork)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
• 30 g tomato paste
• 120 ml dry red wine (optional)
• 800 g crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 6–8 g fine salt, plus more to taste
• Black pepper
• Pinch chili flakes
• 1–2 Tbsp butter or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to finish

Sauce Instructions

1) Brown the meat

• Heat oil over medium-high. Add meat, season with salt/pepper, and brown well.
• If crowded, brown in two batches. Transfer meat to a plate.

2) Aromatics & paste

• In the rendered fat, soften onion.
• Add garlic; cook 30 s.
• Stir in tomato paste; cook ~1 min to darken.

3) Deglaze

• Add wine (if using); scrape up fond; reduce until nearly dry.

4) Base & simmer

• Add crushed tomatoes; if very thick, add 100–150 ml water.
• Add bay leaf and return the browned meat.
• Simmer gently 30–45 min, stirring occasionally. Put lid on the pan and crack slightly.
  • Simmer up to 150min.
    • Add water as needed to keep sauce loose.
    • Simmer on very low heat, occasional lazy bubbles.
• Adjust salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.

To serve with fresh ribbons

• Cook fettuccine in 1.0–1.5% salted water for 90 s–2 min.
• Transfer to sauce with 60–120 ml pasta water;
• Toss until glossy and clinging.
• Finish off heat with butter or Parm.