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Heat a large heavy bottom pan, or enameled cast iron pot, over medium high heat. Add 1 T of olive oil and ground beef, cook until brown. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Drain excess oil from pan and add more olive oil.
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Add onions and cook until translucent. Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper, to taste. Cook for about 1 minute and then add the beef back to the pan. There should be brown bits in the bottom of your pan, this is good – this is where the flavor is!
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Deglaze the pan with ½ cup of red wine, cook until reduced and the meat has soaked up the wine flavor- about 2 minutes. This is a good time to use a wooden spoon to scrape up those yummy brown bits in your pan.
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Add the jar of marinara sauce, can of crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, 3-4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and onion powder. *Remember, taste as you go along and add more seasoning as needed.
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Reduce the heat to simmer and let the sauce cook for at least an hour before serving. If you have the time, I recommend cooking the sauce for longer – I usually let it simmer for at least 2 hours. The longer it cooks, the thicker it becomes and the more time it has for all the flavors to develop.
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Serve hot over cooked noodles of your choice. Top with fresh grated parmesan cheese and chopped basil.
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Enjoy!