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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.