Spaghetti with Bacon and Beef Sauce
This simple spaghetti sauce is a keeper with a perfect combo of beef, bacon and selected herbs. If you are not serving the sauce immediately, cool and store in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium heat.
Ingredients
- About 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 4 slices smoky bacon, chopped (about 4 ounces)
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1 Fresno chili pepper, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- A pinch of ground cloves
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can Italian crushed tomatoes (14 ounces)
- 1 pound spaghetti
- Grated pecorino, for serving
- Chopped flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Preparation
Heat a drizzle of EVOO in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned. Transfer the bacon to a plate and pour the fat from the pot. Add two turns of the pan of EVOO. Pat the beef dry, then add it to the pot and cook until browned, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic, bay leaves, chili pepper, onion, cloves, a little salt and lots of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the beef stock and tomato paste, then stir in the crushed tomatoes and bacon. Simmer until thickened.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and season with salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta. Add the cooking liquid and the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine.
Serve the pasta topped with cheese and parsley.
Cook's Note: If you are not serving the sauce immediately, cool and store in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium heat.
