Mom & Nana's Home Made Spaghetti Meat Sauce

My Nana has always loved Italy- the country, the food. This recipe is a home made spaghetti sauce that my Nana used to make and that my mother has made for my siblings and I for years. This isn't a recipe we've ever had written down, just remembering the ingredients and throwing everything together. A rich, delicious meat sauce to make sweet music with your favorite pasta.

Ingredients

1 package (16oz) Spaghetti (or Angel hair) Pasta
1 1/2 lb Ground beef (80 to 90 percent lean)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced (veggies get added after meat is almost fully browned)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 28 oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes (crush into cooked beef during cooking process)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup tomato puree
1/4 cup red wine (Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon)
(Optional trimmings: grated parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, chopped fresh Italian parsley).

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions, set aside.

In large pot over medium heat, break up and brown ground beef until almost no longer pink. Add chopped bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms and cook about five minutes more.

Add salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning and San Marzano tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with wooden spoon or spatula. Once the tomatoes are smashed enough, add tomato paste, tomato puree and red wine. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve over pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!