Notes
I recently whipped this pasta up on a whim from some things I had laying around in my pantry, and it turned out great. It also comes together really quickly, so it's easy for weeknight cooking.
I love the Seggiano brand for dried pasta. It's really high-quality and widely available.
Ingredients
- 1-2 shallots, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1-2 tbsp chopped Calabrian chiles (optional)
- 1/2 lb ground meat (I used ground beef, but any ground meat works well)
- 1.5 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- olive oil
- salt
- Parmesan or pecorino cheese
Process
Fill a pot with plenty of water and a generous heap of salt, and begin to bring that to a boil.
Heat a stainless steel pan over medium heat. Add in a couple tbsp of olive oil. Once it's hot, add in the shallots and cook until translucent.
Add in the garlic and Calabrian chiles, and cook for a minute or so.
Add in the ground meat. Use a spoon to break it up and heat until it's mostly cooked through. Season with salt.
Add in the crushed tomatoes, stir everything to incorporate, and season with salt. Allow the tomato mixture to reduce for a couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.
When the tomato mixture has reduced a bit, turn the heat to low and add in the heavy cream. Stir to incorporate. Taste and adjust as needed with more salt.
Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss to coat the pasta, then plate it. Finish it with a big shaving of cheese and a drizzle of your best olive oil.
Enjoy!
