spaghetti squared.

i have a weakness for slow-roasting / braising / stewing dutch ovens of meaty goodness & this spaghetti sauce is no different. what is different is that i change it up by serving it over spaghetti squash in place of pasta.  i really like the texture of the squash – more sturdy than pasta – against the thick & meaty sauce.

meaty marinara (serves 10 – 12)
3 lbs. ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. red chili flakes
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
½ grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
fistful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

in a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned. remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and put it into a bowl. set aside.

over medium heat, add the onion to the fat in the pot & stir it around for a few minutes until softened.  add garlic.  pour in the wine, increasing heat to high & allowing to reduce for a few minutes. add the crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, chili flakes, thyme & bay leaves. add the ground beef & stir to combine.
after 1 ½  hours, add the grated parmesan & fresh parsley. stir to combine & allow to simmer for another 30 minutes or so. discard the bay leaves & thyme sticks before serving.

spaghetti squash

2 large spaghetti squash

split the squash in half and scrape out seeds.  place squash in a roasting pan flesh side up.  pour 2 cups of water in the pan & roast for 30 minutes or until nearly fork-tender & fully cooked.  remove from the oven and let rest until cool enough to handle.  using a fork, scrape the strands of squash from the inside of the skin.