The Aussie Gourmet: One Pot Pasta and Meat Sauce

The Jewish Home | JANUARY 12, 2023 In The K tchen One Pot Pasta and Meat Sauce

By Naomi Nachman

I am trying to keep my cooking (and the mess that goes with it) to be as simple as possible, while also giving my family some good, old-fashioned comfort food. The “one-pot wonders” fall under that category, and this one is a real winner. I used to love it when I came home from school and this would be simmering in my mother’s kitchen.

Ingredients

◦ 1 medium onion, chopped finely ◦ 2 garlic cloves, minced ◦ 2 pounds ground beef ◦ 4-5 cups water ◦ 6 tablespoons tomato paste ◦ 24 oz. jar crushed tomatoes ◦ 1 tsp oregano ◦ ½ tsp dried basil ◦ ¼ tsp black pepper ◦ 1 box favorite pasta

Preparation

1. In a large skillet with tall sides, add onions, and garlic, and sauté until soft.

2. Push the onions and garlic to the side and add ground beef; cook until beef is browned; use a wooden spatula to break apart beef while cooking. Drain off fat.

3. Add water, tomato paste, crushed tomato, oregano, basil, and black pepper; whisk well to combine ingredients; bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes on low.

4. Raise to the boil and add pasta and gently incorporate it so sauce covers it. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked through and sauce has thickened. Stir every 3-4 minutes while simmering. Add water to the bottom if the sauce starts to dry and stick to the pan.