Name: Milanese Spaghetti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 0.5 tablespoon olive oil; 0.25 pcs onion; 0.75 clove garlic; 125 g ground beef; 0.5 tablespoon tomato paste; 175 ml passata; 0.25 teaspoon oregano; salt; ground pepper; 100 g spaghetti; 0.375 l water; 0.25 teaspoon salt; 30 g parmesan; parsley

Step by step process

Sauce

1
Finely chop the onion, crush the garlic, and heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.
2
Saute the onion for about 5 minutes until translucent, add the garlic, and once fragrant, add the ground beef.
3
Break up the meat with a wooden spoon and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until it is no longer pink, the excess liquid has evaporated, and it starts to brown lightly.
TIP:
Let the meat marinate in the refrigerator only long enough for the flavor to develop without damaging its texture. Chicken often needs just 30 minutes to a few hours, and strongly acidic marinades should not be left on unnecessarily long.
4
Stir in the tomato paste and cook it briefly, then pour in the passata, add the oregano, and let the sauce simmer gently for 15 minutes.
TIP:
Briefly sauteing tomato paste and dry spices in fat enhances both their flavor and aroma. The tomato paste loses its raw acidity, and the spices bloom more fully. Just a few dozen seconds is enough - just don't let the mixture burn.
5
Season the finished sauce with salt and ground black pepper so it tastes full, balanced, and pleasantly tomatoey.

Spaghetti

6
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente.
7
Drain the cooked spaghetti in a colander, but reserve a little of the starchy cooking water in case you need to loosen the sauce.
TIP:
Pasta cooking water contains starch, which helps the sauce cling better to the pasta and stay silky. Add it in small amounts at the end, when you want to thin the sauce slightly without losing flavor.

Serving

8
Divide the spaghetti among plates or toss it directly with some of the sauce so it is evenly coated and does not dry out.
9
Spoon the remaining sauce over each portion, sprinkle with finely grated Parmesan, and garnish with chopped parsley.
10
Serve immediately while the pasta is still hot and the cheese is melting slightly on top.