Baked Spiral Pasta with the BEST Meat Sauce

Inspired by a recipe from FoodieCrush.com

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground beef
1 heaping cup rough chopped button mushrooms
3/4 C sliced celery
4 garlic cloves chopped
2T light oil
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, no seasoning
1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce, no seasoning
3 oz, or ½ of a 6 oz can of tomato paste
1 1/2 C water
¼ C good red wine
1 ½ t dried good oregano
1 ½ t paprika
½ t ground allspice
1 bay leaf
6 C cooked spiral pasta
3/4 C fresh grated parmigiana reggiano

Method:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a large Dutch oven pan heat the oil to shimmering and add the chopped celery, onion, and mushrooms, stirring and cooking until onions begin to turn translucent. Add about 1 t salt and ½ t black pepper. Add the garlic, and then the red wine. Stir to combine and then add the can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Add the oregano, paprika, and allspice. Then the water. Stir well. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat, nestle in the bay leaf. Cover and let simmer for about an hour on low heat. Checking and stirring occasionally. Can be done a day ahead of time.
• Bring 8 C of water to boil and add the pasta. Cook to al dente. Drain and add the pasta to the pan with the meat sauce after removing the bay leaf. Taste and season with S and P if needed. Pour into a large 9 by 13 baking pan. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbling.
• Can use half ground pork and half ground beef if desired.