Spaghetti with Ground Beef and Eggplant Sauce
Region: Italy
Category: Pasta with Beef
Season: Any
Difficulty: Easy but long cooking time

This is a typical family pasta in the province of Benevento east of Naples.  It is rich and luscious, especially because of how the meat and eggplant slowly meld together.  It’s a perfect family recipe for a winter weekend when you desire the smells of a good ragù filling the house.  The soppressata is a kind of salami usually found in Italian markets, but can be replaced with any good salami.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Preparation Time: 4:45 hours in all

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and more for drizzling if desired

3/4 pound ground beef

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 ounces pancetta, chopped

1 1/2 cups dry red wine

Three 12-ounce cans whole plum tomatoes, tomatoes chopped with their liquid

One 6-ounce can tomato paste

3 tablespoons chopped soppressata

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pound spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for sprinkling

1. In a deep flameproof casserole, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the ground beef until it all turns color, stirring frequently.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. In the same casserole, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the onion, eggplant, and pancetta until the onion is translucent and the pancetta slightly rendered, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.  Pour in the red wine, tomatoes, tomato paste, soppressata, garlic, sugar, oregano, rosemary, fennel, and season with salt and pepper.  Return the ground beef to the casserole.  Reduce the heat to very low and cook until the sauce is much denser and rich tasting, stirring occasionally, about 4 hours, but keep checking

3. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt abundantly then cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.  Drain without rinsing. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl and drizzle with some olive oil, if desired, and serve with the sauce on top.  Serve with parmigiano cheese.

Variation: 

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Posted: 12/14/2006