Rigatoni with Meat Sauce

Ingredients

• •2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• •1 medium onion
• •1 medium carrot
• •1 stalk celery
• •1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• •12 ounces lean ground beef
• •5 cloves garlic
• •½ cup dry red wine
• •1 can crushed tomatoes with basil
• •2 tablespoons tomato paste
• •12 ounces rigatoni pasta
• •1 teaspoon salt
• •¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• •½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• •⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
• •thinly sliced

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beef and garlic and cook, breaking the beef into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until the onion and beef are lightly browned, 9 to 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until it is nearly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and zucchini; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until slightly thickened, 2 minutes.

   20 min

2. 2.

   Stir in the rigatoni, salt, pepper, and 3 cups water; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the sauce is somewhat thickened, about 18 minutes. Add 1 cup water and continue cooking until the pasta is tender, 9 to 10 minutes more.

   28 min

3. 3.

   Serve the rigatoni topped with the Romano and basil.

   2 min