Weeknight Bolognese

I made this for my sister, Marcia and her fiance Franklin, when they came for dinner a few weeks ago.  Franklin loved it (isn't he sweet!) and keeps asking me for the recipe.  Here it is Franklin!  It's easy and delicious!  I adapted Ina Garten's  recipe to the ingredients that I had in my pantry.   You can find the original recipe in her new cookbook, How Easy Is That?

This made enough for dinner, and I froze a large container that later I gave to the Reamy family, a family of six.  Mom, Sara, is in Uganda!  Want to give to a great cause?  Check out Kuza!

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 pound sausage (any kind- mine was a fresh pork mild Italian sausage)

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like spice)

1 cup red wine (or 2 1/2 cups, but I was running low so 1 cup was all that I had)

4 (14 oz) cans petite diced tomato [or 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes]

4 tablespoons tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 pounds dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells

1/2 teaspoons fresh ground nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons dried basil (or 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves)

1/2 cup heavy cream (use the real stuff!!)

1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add the ground beef and sausage and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown.  Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.  Pour one cup of the red wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, one tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and the pasta.  Cook according to the directions on the box.

While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce.  Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, the remaining wine (if you have any left), and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.  Add the Parmesan and toss well.