Easy Meat Sauce (america's Test Kitchen)

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced finely
• 1 slice bread (high-quality sandwich bread)
• 2 tablespoons milk
• table salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 lb 85% lean ground beef
• 6 garlic cloves, minced fine
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, juice drained and reserved
• 3 teaspoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Recipe

• 1 remove stems from mushrooms. cut into quarters and toss into food processor. chop finely, 8-10 1-second pulses.
• 2 heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it smokes. add onion and mushrooms and saute until soft and very brown, 6-12 minutes.
• 3 pulse milk and bread in food processor until it forms a paste, about 8 pulses. add salt and pepper. add beef and pulse until just combined, about 6 pulses.
• 4 add garlic, red pepper flakes and tomato paste to saucepan. deglaze with 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato juices (discard or consume the rest). add 2 tsp fresh oregano (if using dried oregano, add all of it now) and stir well.
• 5 add meat mixture and stir until no longer pink, but not yet brown. add drained, diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes. stir well, and simmer gently 30 minutes.
• 6 add remaining fresh oregano and parmigiano cheese. season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve over pasta.