The Best Spaghetti Sauce
Shortly before I went to university, I lived with my father in the small town of Berwyn, Alberta. The old sign at the outside of town read “Population 50 and Growing.” While there I worked as a cashier at a local supermarket in Grimshaw where an Italian man frequently came in to purchase ingredients for his spaghetti sauce. Try as I might I never could weasel the recipe out of him but he did tell me that he always put in carrots and red wine. Here’s my version, which I’ve been making and perfecting ever since.
Serves 8 to 10
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 stalks, celery, diced into ¼” (.5 cm) cubes
1 medium carrot, diced into ¼” (.5 cm) cubes
2 tbsp (30 ml) canola oil
2 lbs (907 g) regular ground beef or bison
28 oz (796 ml) diced tomatoes
7 ½ oz (227 g) tomato sauce
10 oz (284 ml) Campbell’s condensed tomato soup
1 cup (250 ml) Italian red wine
10 oz (284 ml) beef broth
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp (45 ml) Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp (2 ml) chili flakes, or more
1 tsp (5 ml) black pepper
2 tsp (10 ml) dried oregano, preferably Greek oregano
1 tsp (5 ml) dried basil leaves
1 tsp (5 ml) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
¾ lb (375 g) thinly sliced raw button or cremini mushrooms
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.
Without adding more oil to the pot, brown the meat until all traces of red have disappeared. With a bulb baster, siphon off all the juice and fat into a glass measuring cup. Return the meat to the heat and add the reserved vegetables.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato soup, red wine, beef broth, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, chili flakes, black pepper, oregano, basil, granulated sugar and salt. Using a bulb baster, siphon off the beef juice that has settled to the bottom of the glass measuring cup and add it back to the meat mixture, together with enough water to measure 1 cup (250 ml).
Add the mushrooms. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 3 hours, stirring often, about every 20 minutes. When the mixture is thick and the liquid has evaporated, taste and adjust seasonings, adding more herbs or salt, as needed.
Serve over al denté cooked noodles (spaghetti, spaghettini, or capellini). Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.