Christmas Pasta

Name: Christmas Pasta
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried; 1/4 pound pancetta, thick cut, chopped into small bits (Italian cured pork, ask at deli counter); 1/2 pound bulk hot Italian sausage; 1 pound combined ground beef, pork and veal; 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped; 1 rib celery, chopped; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 cup good quality dry red wine; 1 cup prepared beef stock, paper container or canned; 2 (32-ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes; A handful chopped flat leaf parsley leaves; 1/4 teaspoon (a couple of pinches) allspice or cinnamon; Coarse salt and black pepper; 2 pounds penne rigate, cooked to al dente; Grated Pecorino Romano, as an accompaniment; Fresh, crusty bread, for mopping

18 ingredients

11 steps

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/4 pound pancetta, thick cut, chopped into small bits (Italian cured pork, ask at deli counter)
1/2 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
1 pound combined ground beef, pork and veal
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup good quality dry red wine
1 cup prepared beef stock, paper container or canned
2 (32-ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon (a couple of pinches) allspice or cinnamon
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 pounds penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Grated Pecorino Romano, as an accompaniment
Fresh, crusty bread, for mopping

Directions

1

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat.
2

Add oil, garlic, bay, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute.
3

Add meats and brown and crumble them for 5 minutes.
4

Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work.
5

Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine.
6

Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.
7

Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
8

Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving.
9

Reheated sauce only improves.
10

Toss pasta (cook off only as much pasta as you need at the time: half a pound for every 3 people) with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce.
11

Top pasta with lots of cheese and pass bread at the table.