Orechiette with Red Wine Ragu

I like to make pasta. This one is from a few nights ago, it just took me a bit to get it posted. This sauce is a variation of my original and ultra-reliable pasta sauce. This time, however, I used ground beef. We hadn't actually MADE a meaty pasta sauce in forever; usually, we go with a simple yet spicy tomato sauce with some herbs. We had some ground beef laying around in the freezer and figured we'd give it a go. It's also our first use of the orechiette (or "little ears", in Italian) and I have to say, they are PERFECT for this as they essentially make little bowls out of themselves that the pasta and meat sort of pools up in. Adding a little pasta cooking water to the sauce here is key, as it helps everything stick to/in the pasta. For those of you after something a little more simple to prepare, yet delivering hugely on flavor, this one is for you.

2 tablespoons olive oil
300 g ground beef
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
¾ tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 onion, finely chopped
6 garlic, peeled, finely chopped
1 red chili, fresh, deseeded, finely chopped
¾ cup red wine
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1-½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
500 g orechiette pasta, or any small shell-shaped pasta
Parmesan cheese, for grating

Get a large pot hot over medium-high heat. Drizzle in the olive oil. When hot, add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, until just browned. Pull the pot off the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.

Add a little more olive oil (if necessary) and return the pot to the heat and reduce the heat to medium. When the pan is hot add the fennel seeds and red pepper flakes and just stir until they start to become fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Immediately add the onion and garlic and just cook until they become soft and are starting to go translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Return the meat and any juices it produced to the pan and season with some salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the wine. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any tasty bits that are on the bottom of the pan. Let the wine bubble away until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and the oregano. Stir through completely and allow it to start bubbling. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Stir through occasionally, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. You're looking for good levels of spice, oregano herbiness and enough salt to bring those flavors out.

While your sauce is simmering, make the pasta. Get a large pot of water boiling. When boiling, add a good handful of salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Reserve a 1/2 cup or so of the cooking water before draining the pasta. DO NOT RINSE the pasta. Simply give it a shake in the colander.

Add the cooking water to the sauce and stir through. Add the pasta and stir to coat the pasta evenly in the sauce. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of some good olive oil. Serve hot.