On busy days, I tend to cook a pot of pasta sauce. Normally, since I am usually out teaching in the evenings, the LAM will cook the pasta and mix that with the sauce for dinner. 

I like cooking pastas on busy days because it is just such a simple thing to cook. Plus, pasta sauces are a good way to use up loads of left-overs from the fridge. In this case, I had a packet of shitake mushroom to use up. 

I cooked the pasta using Trittuti, made using dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, olives, garlic and basil in a typical Sicilian style. I paired with Pecorino, which I much prefer because of its sharp yet mellow taste.

This dish is definitely moreish. 

And it is really easy to put together too!

Let me show you how.

In a casserole, saute the diced onion in some olive oil.

Add the minced garlic and cook a further 30 seconds.

Move the onion and garlic to the side of the casserole. Add the minced beef in the middle. Cook the minced beef for about 3 minutes, or until the meat is no longer red.

Stir to mix the onion, garlic and beef. Add the diced red pepper and mushroom. Stir to combine.

When the mushroom has wilted a little, add the Tritturi sauce and tomato puree or sauce.

Stir to mix. Add your favorite herbs – I added some bay leaves. 

Let this simmer for about 10 minutes so the flavors can come together, and for the sauce to thicken a little. Remember to stir occasionally. 

Cook the fusilli spaccati (or any pasta you like) in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Fusilli Spaccati has rolled edges, which are obtained by pressing a piece of dough lightly with the fingers. Rough on the inside, this type of pasta holds the sauce perfectly, so it is well suited for thick pasta sauces.

Once cooked, reserve some of the pasta water (ie, water used for cooking the pasta) and transfer the pasta to the sauce.

Stir to mix. 

Check the seasonings – add loads of black pepper – and top with chili flakes, chopped Italian parsley and shaved Pecorino. 

Serve immediately.

Fusilli Spaccati With Minced Beef And Mushroom In Tritturi Sauce

2016-04-03 14:37:23

Serves 4

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Ingredients

1. 1 medium onion, diced
2. 4 cloves garlic, minced
3. 400g beef, minced
4. 200g shitake mushrooms
5. 1 medium red pepper, de-seeded and diced
6. 1 jar (180g) Tritturis sauce, or replace with chopped tomatoes
7. 1 can ( 411g/14.5oz) tomato puree (or tomato sauce)
8. 2-3 bay leaves
9. 500g Fusilli Spaccati, or any pasta
10. Salt, to taste
11. Black pepper, to taste
12. Italian parsley, chopped
13. Pecorino, shaved

Instructions

1. In a casserole, saute the diced onion in some olive oil.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook a further 30 seconds.
3. Move the onion and garlic to the side of the casserole. Add the minced beef in the middle. Cook the minced beef for about 3 minutes, or until the meat is no longer red.
4. Stir to mix the onion, garlic and beef. Add the diced red pepper and mushroom. Stir to combine.
5. When the mushroom has wilted a little, add the Tritturi sauce and tomato puree or sauce.
6. Stir to mix. Add your favorite herbs – I added some bay leaves.
7. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes so the flavors can come together, and for the sauce to thicken a little. Remember to stir occasionally.
8. Cook the fusilli spaccati (or any pasta you like) in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Fusilli Spaccati has rolled edges, which are obtained by pressing a piece of dough lightly with the fingers. Rough on the inside, this type of pasta holds the sauce perfectly, glorifying its flavor, so it is well suited for thick pasta sauces.
9. Once cooked, reserve some of the pasta water (ie, water used for cooking the pasta) and transfer the pasta to the sauce.Stir to mix.
10. Check the seasonings – add loads of black pepper – and top with chili flakes, chopped Italian parsley and shaved Pecorino.
11. Serve immediately.

By Diana Gale

The Domestic Goddess Wannabe http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/

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