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Spaghetti Sauce with beef and bacon

Yields1 ServingPreparation45 minsCooking3 hrsTotal3 hrs 45 mins

Bacon, red wine and herbs give the sauce a rich, fragrant taste

 225 g bacon, cut into ½ inch (1 cm ) dice
 3 onions, chopped
 1 green bell pepper, chopped
 2 pounds (1 kg) ground beef
 2 garlic cloves, peeled
 3 cans of 794 ml tomatoes (ideally San Marzano D.O.P.)
 1 small can 156 ml tomato paste
 1 cup dry red wine
 1/2 cup water
 5 teaspoons dried oregano
 5 teaspoons dried basil
 2 teaspoons dried thyme
 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
 Ground black pepper
 2 teaspoons salt
1

In a large saucepan, over low heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from pan and pat dry with paper towel. Reserve.

2

Remove bacon fat from pan except 2 tablespoon. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add the meat and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly to crumble, until it loses its pink color. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

3

Turn on the food processor and drop the garlic through the neck to chop. Stop the machine, add a can of tomatoes an pulse for a few seconds (no more to avoid bruising the pits which would give a bitter taste to the sauce) and add to the pan. One can at a time, pulse remaining tomatoes and add to the sauce pan with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, reduce heat and simmer over very low heat for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

The sauce will keep for a week in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 2 days before freezing.