• 1 yellow onion

• At least 4 cloves of garlic

• Fresh Herbs (I use oregano and basil)

• Flat Parsley

• A splash of red wine

• 1 lb of 80/20 beef OR Impossible meat

• 2 hot Italian sausages OR Field Roasts

• 1 can of the highest quality tomatoes you can find (crushed or whole)

• 1 cup of tomato puree to offset the “meat” stuff

• 1 box of pasta (think rigatoni, if you want to impress someone use pappardelle)

• Any dried Italian spices you want (oregano, basil etc)

• Olive oil

• Aleppo pepper or red pepper

• PARM

Periodically salt your sauce, you want layers of seasoning but don’t go overboard

Wash your herbs

Chop your onion and garlic, as fine as you’d like

Heat a large pan to medium heat then add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan

Add your onion and sauté until translucent, then add your garlic + your choice of pepper

As your garlic is turning brown, add your meats + sausages, breaking up the mixture with the back of your spoon

Brown your meat but don’t stress about it being super cooked through yet as it will cook more as you let it simmer.

Now is about the time I like to add a splash of wine, stir, then add your tomatoes + tomato puree

Add your seasonings + herbs, salt and pepper to taste and let it simmer for a bit

While this is happening, your flavors will meld and your sauce will thicken

Give it about as long as it takes to cook the pasta then add your pasta to your sauce along with some parm and pasta water, hell, add some butter if you want.

Serve with extra parm, love and some basil

- weeknite