RECIPE: Pasta With Meat Sauce

Believe it or not, there are people out there who don't like to cook. I know. I know. It makes no sense and you can't imagine how that can be, but it's true. To fend off such fear of the kitchen, here is an easy and delicious recipe that requires just some basic knife skills, a big pot and an appetite. Once you can master this, you're gut will be full and your culinary self-esteem will be sky high and ready for more.

Ingredients
1.5 lbs. ground pork
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled and sliced
1 small bunch fresh basil leaves
1 cup red wine
2 29 oz. cans tomato puree
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 tbsp. red pepper flakes
2 tbsp. thyme leaves
2 tbsp. oregano leaves
1 lb. spaghetti
salt
olive oil

Directions:
Heat your dutch oven (that's a pan, get your mind out of the gutter) over medium heat and coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ground pork along with some salt and 1 tbsp. each of the red pepper flakes, thyme and oregano. Stir together and brown the pork.

Once the pork has browned, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Turn the heat down to medium-low and make sure the bottom of the pan is still coated with oil and/or pork fat. If needed, add oil to recoat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and garlic along with another pinch of salt. Stir and sweat over low heat until the onions become very soft and have completely changed color.

Next, add the cup of wine to the pan and bring the heat up to medium-high and allow to boil. Then, simmer over medium heat and allow the wine to reduce by about half. This ought to take 10-15 minutes. Make sure that you are scraping the bottom of the pan with a spoon to remove and deglaze and meat from the pan. This will wind up adding deliciousness, I assure you.

After the wine has reduced, add the tomato puree and the tomato paste along with half of the basil. Be sure to tear the basil into smaller pieces.Then, add the remainder of the thyme, oregano and red pepper. Stir the mixture, turn the heat down to low and simmer while covered.

The sauce needs to simmer at least 90 minutes, but will be even better if you allow 3-4 hours. Just be sure to keep stirring and add water or wine if your sauce gets too thick.

Once the sauce is ready to serve, bring a pot of water to boil on the stove and cook the spaghetti for 8-10 minutes, or until it's al dente. Drain the pasta, and then serve.

This is especially nice with a crust of bread or garlic toast. A nice salad or green beans work as a terrific side dish. Although, this will be fine all by itself.

Yep, it's that freaking easy, folks. Get to cooking and then get to eating.