- 1.5 pounds Ground Beef (I Used Ground Round)
- 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 whole Large Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced
- 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1/3 cup Wine (or Low Sodium Beef Broth If You Prefer)
- 2 lbs tomatoes, peeled & crushed
- 1.5 oz tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Thyme
- 2 whole Bay Leaves
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 whole Rind From One Wedge Parmesan (optional)
In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned. Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl. Set aside.
Discard any grease in pot, but do not clean the pot. Drizzle in olive oil. When it is heated, throw in the diced onion and diced bell pepper. Stir it around for 1 1/2 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble up and reduce for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce. Stir to combine, then add oregano, thyme, sugar, salt, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper (if using). Stir, then add cooked ground beef and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or some low-sodium broth if it needs more liquid
After an hour, add the minced parsley and the rind from a wedge of Parmesan (or grated Parmesan if you prefer--or both!) Stir to combine, then put the lid back on and allow it to simmer for another 30 minutes or so. Discard bay leaves before serving.
Serve a big bowl of oiled noodles and spaghetti sauce so guests can serve themselves. Top each serving with minced parsley and grated Parmesan (or Parmesan shavings) and serve with a big piece of garlic-cheese bread.