Not quite my grandmother's spaghetti
Yesterday, I made an absolutely delicious sauce. I wanted to record it, in case I have the time to make it again.
Makes really quite a lot.
You will need:
4 sweet onions
1 lb ground buffalo
half a bunch celery
a good sharp chopping knife
a head of garlic
1 glass sherry or sweet wine
2 jars of Ragu Traditional (if you switch brands, be sure that it is only tomato sauce, spices, and a bit of olive oil, not the corn-syrup sugary sweet kind that is most often made)
1 1/2 pounds ripe pear or cherry tomatoes
A large pot
Olive oil
Small rind of parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
Salt, to taste
In the large pot, brown the buffalo over medium-high heat while you chop the vegetables. You want the buffalo to be browned in very small pieces, so break it up as it cooks.
Very finely mince the onions. Put them in a large bowl as you go. (You'll need to put them somewhere, as there will be so many.)
After the onions, chop off the bottoms of the celery and then very finely chop the celery, making it easier on yourself by long-slicing the ribs a few times and then mincing across. Put these, too, in the bowl.
By this time, the buffalo will likely be done. Put the cooked buffalo in another bowl. If you substitute beef for the buffalo, you'll want to put it in a colander to drain off the fat.
Pour olive into the pot, right on top of the browned bits. How much oil you use depends on the size of the pot and whether you want this to have fewer calories. I poured in enough to cover the pot's bottom.
Heat the oil until it spits a bit, then sprinkle all the chopped onions and celery in. Stir gently, cooking on medium until softened some.
While the onions and celery cook, break off the garlic cloves. I enjoy garlic, so I used nearly the whole head, about seven cloves. Mince and sprinkle in, with the pepper and thyme.
When all is slightly softened, about fifteen minutes, pour in some wine so that it bubbles gently. Let it reduce for a time, then stir in the buffalo, then Ragu. Gently stir in the tomatoes. Taste and add some salt.
Turn the sauce to low, put on the lid, then allow to simmer gently for about four hours. Stir every twenty minutes or so. After an hour or so, remove the lid and add in the hardest rind of parmesan cheese so that will melt gently into the sauce.
Serve over hot buttered spaghetti.
Makes really quite a lot, but after the several hours, it will be quite thick.
Makes really quite a lot.
You will need:
4 sweet onions
1 lb ground buffalo
half a bunch celery
a good sharp chopping knife
a head of garlic
1 glass sherry or sweet wine
2 jars of Ragu Traditional (if you switch brands, be sure that it is only tomato sauce, spices, and a bit of olive oil, not the corn-syrup sugary sweet kind that is most often made)
1 1/2 pounds ripe pear or cherry tomatoes
A large pot
Olive oil
Small rind of parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper
Salt, to taste
In the large pot, brown the buffalo over medium-high heat while you chop the vegetables. You want the buffalo to be browned in very small pieces, so break it up as it cooks.
Very finely mince the onions. Put them in a large bowl as you go. (You'll need to put them somewhere, as there will be so many.)
After the onions, chop off the bottoms of the celery and then very finely chop the celery, making it easier on yourself by long-slicing the ribs a few times and then mincing across. Put these, too, in the bowl.
By this time, the buffalo will likely be done. Put the cooked buffalo in another bowl. If you substitute beef for the buffalo, you'll want to put it in a colander to drain off the fat.
Pour olive into the pot, right on top of the browned bits. How much oil you use depends on the size of the pot and whether you want this to have fewer calories. I poured in enough to cover the pot's bottom.
Heat the oil until it spits a bit, then sprinkle all the chopped onions and celery in. Stir gently, cooking on medium until softened some.
While the onions and celery cook, break off the garlic cloves. I enjoy garlic, so I used nearly the whole head, about seven cloves. Mince and sprinkle in, with the pepper and thyme.
When all is slightly softened, about fifteen minutes, pour in some wine so that it bubbles gently. Let it reduce for a time, then stir in the buffalo, then Ragu. Gently stir in the tomatoes. Taste and add some salt.
Turn the sauce to low, put on the lid, then allow to simmer gently for about four hours. Stir every twenty minutes or so. After an hour or so, remove the lid and add in the hardest rind of parmesan cheese so that will melt gently into the sauce.
Serve over hot buttered spaghetti.
Makes really quite a lot, but after the several hours, it will be quite thick.