Week 7 – Spaghetti With Hearty Meat Sauce (Courtesy August Ridge Vineyards)

Spaghetti with Hearty Meat Sauce

Wine Pairing: 2005 Sangiovese
1/4 pound pancetta or bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound mild or hot Italian sausage, removed from casing
1/2 pound ground sirloin
1/2 pound ground pork
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup August Ridge Sangiovese
1 cup beef broth
2 (32-ounce) cans chunky style crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Coarse salt and black pepper
2 pounds spaghetti, cooked to al dente
Grated Romano or Parmesan

Method: Heat a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add pancetta or bacon and brown to render the fat. Transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. To the pan add the oil and the meats and brown and crumble them for 6-8 minutes. Stir in garlic and return pancetta to pan.

Add vegetables to pot and cook with meat 5 minutes and add wine. Cook for 1 minute; add stock and tomatoes to the pot.

Stir in parsley, allspice and season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook 20 to 30 minutes.

Toss pasta with a couple of ladles of sauce to coat and top with additional sauce. Sprinkle  pasta with lots of cheese.