College Cuisine! :beckettu: Yep, that is the easiest way to do it. Getting the spaghetti al dente is the trick there, as well as doctoring up the sauce from the jar. But this is my recipe:
Tools:
1 large skillet
Spatula
Pasta strainer (or a bowl and a plate)
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef (I prefer no more than 20% fat)
1 can tomato SAUCE (not paste!), get the 10oz size or so per pound of meat
2 cups short pasta or 1/2 pkg spaghetti depending on your taste.
Seasonings:
prepared Italian seasoning (like the kind for salads)
garlic powder or chopped fresh garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon of sugar (I use Splenda instead)
Dried mushroom pieces (or fresh chopped mushroom)
Parmesan cheese and shredded cheese (optional)
Cooking directions:
Try to use a skillet like a cast iron or a nice stainless pan that you can simmer the meat in. I do not recommend a flat grill skillet because the oil/fat from the meat will run over and you cant stir it as easily.
Season the meat with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasonings (you can use your own if you know what you are doing). Then, mash the meat to mix the seasonings inside the meat. This is important, because if you just sprinkle the seasoning on top it will not taste as full when you are eating the meat sauce. Its worth it. Use your hands!
You can even add a DASH of hot sauce to the meat at this point before it is cooked.
10 MIN
Turn the heat up to MEDIUM and mash the seasoned meat into the skillet all the way to the edges. You are going to need a nice spatula (preferably metal, but a plastic heat safe one will work). You will need a knife and fork as well as you are cooking. Preparing the meat before adding the sauce is IMPORTANT! Cook the meat thoroughly, breaking up large chunks of meat as it cooks using the spatula, fork and knife. Keep the chunks of meat manageable, or you will end up with a meat sauce that looks more like you broke a hamburger up in it.
Meat is done when parts of it are browning and there is no red left in the meat that you can see.
20 MIN
At this point, you need to decide how much of the fat you are going to drain off the cooked meat (if any). If you are using a high-fat ground beef like 30-70, I recommend draining off half the fat before adding the sauce. Drain (or not), then add the entire can of tomato sauce, the mushrooms and sugar (and chopped garlic if you are using it). Stir the meat and sauce and ingredients thoroughly and turn heat down to SIMMER. Do NOT cover. You will stir occasionally.
15 MIN
Open your package of pasta and if using spaghetti, then use half the entire package. I like using short pastas like tortellini, gomito and manicotti, because they allow the sauce to fill them up and they have a nice texture when done al dente.
Use at least 4 quarts of water, and add about a tablespoon of salt to the water and perhaps a tablespoon of olive oil.
IMPORTANT: Water must be boiling BEFORE adding the pasta. After water is boiling, add the pasta. Spaghetti will stick out of the water until it starts to soften, and then you can fold it into the water. Short pastas can be added all at once. Boil pasta for exactly 15 minutes for al dente (firm but done).
After pasta is done, dump it into the strainer (or into a bowl, then use a plate to hold back the pasta whilst you drain the water from it). Turn the heat under the sauce OFF. Take your dinner portion of the hot pasta and put it on your plate or in your bowl, then SPOON the sauce all over it (do not pour or you might dump too much on it). Stir your spaghetti with the sauce and then add more if you want. After your plate has enough on it, sprinkle the top of the spaghetti with Parmesan cheese and your shredded cheese and CHOW DOWN!
Stuff that goes with a typical spaghetti meal:
Garlic bread (make your own with French bread)
Red wine
Salad with vinaigrette or oil and vinegar dressing
Asparagus.
JK ofcourse.
