Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Bolognese

Nutrition
Calories: 759 kcalCarbohydrates: 121 gProtein: 35 gFat: 36 gSaturated Fat: 17 gCholesterol: 41 mgSodium: 477 mgFiber: 23 gSugar: 12 gVitamin A: 41.2 IUCalcium: 135 mgIron: 19 mg
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 whole Garlic clove finely chopped
- 1 whole onion large, chopped fine
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 3/4 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms stems trimmed and discarded, caps chopped coarse
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp double-concentrate tomato paste
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 bay leaf
- 3/4 lb pasta
- 1 dash salt to taste
- 1 dash black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- As soon as you put the pot over the heat, start cooking the sauce. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until the onion turns translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the beef and shiitake mushrooms, raise the heat slightly, and sauté, stirring constantly and breaking up the meat into fine particles with a wooden spoon, until the beef has uniformly lost its pink color, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour off any fat.
- Return the skillet or pan to the heat. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, sugar, and bay leaves and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer, and cook until the sauce is thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
- About halfway through the sauce's simmering, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, following the manufacturer's suggested cooking time.
- Before the pasta is done, taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste; remove the bay leaves. As soon as the pasta is done, drain it and toss with the sauce. Serve immediately.