Christmas Pasta

Photo: flickr user (A3R) angelrravelor (A3R)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic crushed

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

pound thick-cut pancetta chopped small bits

(Italian cured pork from deli counter)

pound bulk hot Italian sausage

1 pound combined ground beef, pork and 1 medium carrot peeled, and

finely chopped

1 celery rib chopped

1 medium onion chopped

1 cup good quality dry red wine

1 cup prepared beef stock

(paper container or canned)

2 cans chunky style crushed tomatoes - (32 oz ea)

A handful flat-leaf parsley leaves chopped

teaspoon allspice or cinnamon

Coarse salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

2 pounds penne rigate cooked to al dente

Grated Pecorino Romano as an accompaniment

Fresh crusty bread for mopping

Caprese Salad (see recipe)

Five-Minute Fudge Wreath (see recipe)

Preparation

Heat a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add oil, garlic, bay, and pancetta bits and brown for 1 minute. Add meats and brown and crumble them for 5 minutes.

Chop carrot, celery, and onions near the stove and add to the pot as you work. Cook vegetables with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.

Stir in parsley, allspice, or cinnamon and season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 10 to 15 minutes minimum before serving. Reheated sauce only improves.

Toss pasta (cook off only as much pasta as you need at the time: half a pound for every 3 people) with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat, then top bowl with extra sauce. Top pasta with lots of cheese and pass bread at the table.

This recipe yields 4 large servings.

Comments: The sauce will cover up to 2 pounds of pasta. If you are making this full menu, prepare the fudge and chill while your sauce simmers and before you prepare your salad. When you are done eating your 30 Minute meal, the fudge will have chilled for 45 minutes and will then be firm enough to slice. Happy Holidays and Merry Eating!