Mmmmmm . . . spaghetti. When I was a kid, I called it Ba-scetti. Don’t act like you nailed this one right out of the gate. The Italians call this stuff “sauce.” We spend at least one weekend a year canning tomatoes and tomato sauce (without the meat added at that point). It is so nice to carry the freshness of vine-ripe tomatoes into the colder months. You’ll still get plenty of fantastic flavor by using store-bought tomatoes.
Most spaghetti sauces are pretty simple. This one is no exception. The bad guy with most sauces like this isn’t the sauce, it’s what you pour it over. Serve this little number over spaghetti squash, kelp noodles, or shredded zucchini and squash.
2 pounds (900 g) ground beef
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large sweet onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 quart (1 L) crushed tomatoes
1 quart (1 L) whole canned tomatoes
1 6 ounce (180 mL) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- In large pot, brown meat with 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Remove to bowl.
- Heat olive oil in same pot and add garlic, onions & green pepper. Sauté for 3–5 minutes. Onions and pepper will begin to soften.
- Add all other ingredients plus the meat and stir well.
- Bring everything to a slight boil. Cover and reduce to simmer for 30–40 minutes.
Variations—Change out your meat (ground turkey, sausage, deer, etc.).
Hint—Freeze in small containers. Don’t include your noodle replacement, as it won’t thaw as well.
