As most people who have been following me for years know I love Italian. It is, by far, my favorite style of food. I’m a pasta fanatic, always on the hunt for a new dish, an intense flavor to coat my hungry tongue. So, when I came across this pasta I thought, “Hmmm…interesting. a pasta that’s made like a straw. I wonder if you can really suck the sauce up through these noodles.” Well, you can, but the thing I love about this pasta is the bite. It’s absolutely unique to any other pasta I’ve had and has recently become one of my favorites. The pasta pairs well with a traditional sauce like the one I’ve posted below. Oddly enough it’s the same sauce that won a kinda mock Italian challenge I had with a guy I vaguely know who wanted to see if his cooking could blow me out of the water. So, with that being said, eat, enjoy, savor. Mangia!
The Gravy:
2 tbs olive oil
1 lb beef bones
1 lb beef shanks
1 lb Italian sausage
⅔ tbs garlic minced
⅓ cup tomato paste
3 twenty-eight oz cans Italian style tomatoes
3 cups water
Salt and white pepper to taste
12 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 lb bucatini pasta
Process tomatoes until almost pureed. Set aside. Brown meat in oil. Drain off fat from pot. Add garlic and cook til fragrant. Discard most of the garlic. Stir in tomato paste and cook for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, water, salt and pepper. Add basil. Partially cover pot and simmer for 2 hours or until the sauce has reduced to your personal preference. (You can divide this sauce and freeze it for quick and easy dinners at a later time. I usually make this sauce and Sunday Meatballs at the same time and divided the sauce and balls up into different freezer bags and just reheat later for weeknights. I’ll be posting the meatball recipe later.)
Boil your pasta until it is aldenté. Strain and set aside. Immediately heat about 2 c of your Sunday Gravy in a sauté pan bringing it to a hard simmer. Add your pasta and give it a few tosses as it cooks for about 3 minutes. You’re generally just trying to coat your pasta. Serve Immediately. You can garnish with fresh torn basil or fresh grated Romano. Bon Appetito
Girl-Chef Tastes 