Fresh Tomato Beef Ragu

Their Version. Photo Credit: Chris Court;
Food Stylist: Justin Poole; Prop Stylist: Lucy Tweed 

My version. Why does theirs looks so much saucier?

I've switched it up a bit this week. Tonight should have been Kielbasa and beans, but I didn't get out to my mom's garden to get the green beans yet, so I'm making the meal from Tuesday night that I skipped (I had a girl's night and Lila wanted Pizza Ranch).This is one of the recipes for the month that I was on the fence about; it could be really good or it could be just terrible. We love spaghetti around here, so at least Lila will try it without a fight. I hope *fingers crossed*.

Fresh Tomato Beef Ragu

Woman's Day Magazine, July/August 2015

Active: 25 minutes               Total: 25 minutes                       Level: Easy

Serves: 4                                Cost per serving: $2.59

Ingredients:

• 12 oz spaghetti
• 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Small fresh basil leaves

This is the first of the recipes that I've tweaked to suit my family's taste. First, when I make spaghetti I always use a mix of 1/3 protein plus, 1/3 whole wheat, and 1/3 veggie thin spaghetti. I also "made" my own tomato paste because I was out. To do this, pour a small can of tomato sauce (I used an 8 ounce can of roasted garlic) and simmer for 7 minutes. This will result in about 3-4 ounces of tomato paste. If you are making a recipe with just a couple of tablespoons of paste, this is less wasteful and (slightly) cheaper.

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions (or follow quick tip below). Drain the liquid, reserving 1 cup water, and return to the pot.
2. Grate the zest of the lemon into the pot, squeeze in the juice, drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and toss to combine. Use some of the reserved water if pasta seems dry.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the remaining Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it starts to brown around the edges, about 1 minute. Add the beef, season with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper and cook, breaking it up with a spoon into small pieces, until browned, 4-6 minutes.
4. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the beef starts to get a bit crispy. Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, 2-3 minutes.
5. Serve the beef with the pasta, tomatoes and onion. Sprinkle with Parmesan and basil, if desired.

Calories per serving: 543

Lila wanted to keep all of her stuff separate, but she ended up eating two big helpings of the noodles and sauce (she wouldn't touch the tomatoes, because they weren't whole). Andy and I each ate a full serving also, which has only rarely happened lately. All the recipes make "4" servings, but it seems like the three of us eat less than half of the prepared meal. This one we actually ate, which must be a good sign.

I ended up using all of the tomato paste I made, about 2 1/2 tablespoons, and my meal was nowhere near as saucy as the picture led me to believe. If I were to make it again, a definite possibility, I would double the amount of sauce. I'm not sure if I would just double the tomato paste, the paste and wine, or the paste wine and meat. All are good options, maybe I'll try all three and post an updated recipe in the future of the version that turns out the best. 

Tips: To switch the recipe from Italian to Mexican, replace pasta with tortillas, mix lime with the meat, add 1 tsp ground cumin and top with your favorite taco fixins' (this one comes from the magazine). To quick-cook noodles, put noodles in pan, add cold water and bring to a boil. Noodles should be done around the time the water boils. If you use a mix of noodles, make sure you check the recommended cooking times, the veggie one usually needs just a little less time.

Verdict? Taste of Day Success