Meaty Penne Food

BAKED PENNE WITH MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, wine or tomato juice, dried oregano, pepper and crushed red pepper. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until meat is brown. Drain off fat. Stir tomato mixture into meat mixture in skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta, and olives.
• Divide the pasta mixture among six 10 to 12 ounce individual casseroles. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. (Or spoon all of the pasta mixture into a 2-quart casserole. Bake, covered to 30 minutes). Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted.

PENNE STRASCICATE

Steps:

• Finely chop the celery, carrots, onion and pancetta. Saute the chopped mixture in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until golden. Add the ground beef, pork and veal and continue to saute until the meat is cooked. Add the white wine and cook until evaporated.
• Puree the tomatoes in a blender and add them to the meat mixture. Season the meat mixture with salt and pepper and continue to cook over a medium heat until the sauce has thickened, at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Bring 4 to 6 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 3 teaspoons salt. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 10 to 11 minutes. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Add the butter and cook until melted and the pasta is coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish the pasta with the Parmigiano Reggiano before serving.

PENNE WITH MEATY RAGU

Steps:

• Put the garlic, celery, carrot, onion and oregano leaves in a food processor and pulse to chop into small pieces.
• Heat the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring once or twice, until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pork, beef, tomato paste, and some salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until the meat is browned, about10 minutes.
• Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes and basil sprigs. Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Just before the sauce is done, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the penne until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and return to the pasta pot. Spoon about 1 cup of sauce into the penne and stir to coat. Serve the penne topped with more sauce, some torn basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan.