To experience tomato intensity, toss hot spaghetti with a generous jolt of tomato paste, then serve with a hearty tomato sauce flavored with ground beef, garlic, bell peppers, Italian seasoning and tomatoes.
INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
PREPARATION:
In a large skillet cook ground beef. Drain excess grease.
In a separate pan saute the onion, garlic, and green bell pepper in olive oil until tender. Add the cooked ground beef, tomatoes, water, Italian seasoning, and ground black pepper. Add salt, if desire. Simmer for an hour.
As simmering time nears, in a large pot cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain.
In a large bowl, toss drained spaghetti with tomato paste. Add cooked sauce; mix well.
Serve warm.