Ingredients

The following ingredients have 5 Servings
  • 1 pound lean ground meat like beef, turkey, chicken or lamb
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup (130 grams) chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup water, broth or dry red wine
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • Handful fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons mushroom powder, here’s our recipe
  • 3 to 4 anchovy fillets, minced with some of their oil or use anchovy paste
  • Pinch sugar
  • 1 leftover rind from a wedge of parmesan

Instruction

  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat (we use a Dutch oven). Add the meat and cook until browned, about 8 minutes. As the meat cooks, use a wooden spoon to break it up into smaller crumbles.
  • Add the onions and cook, stirring every once and a while, until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring continuously for about 1 minute.
  • Pour in the water and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits of meat or onion stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir in the tomatoes, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a generous pinch of black pepper. Bring the sauce to a low simmer. Cook, uncovered, at a low simmer for 25 minutes. As it cooks, stir and taste the sauce a few times so you can adjust the seasoning accordingly (see notes for suggestions). Stir in the basil just before serving.