Christmas Pasta

This is my very favorite pasta recipe EVER :) !!!! I so so so love this... even my husband who doesn't care much for pasta (can you imagine that??? LOL) said that this was the best pasta he's ever eaten... and my oldest son said the other day mom you haven't made Christmas pasta yet... I make this every year for Christmas... it is hearty, rich and oh so yummy...

The list for this pasta sounds very long, but this is so well worth it...
I buy a full pound package of ground chuck & Italian sausage links (I use only 1/2 lb of ground chuck, and only 2 sausage links in this recipe, the rest of the meat goes into a freezer bag and I have the makings for lasagna at another time :) might as well buy once & use twice, or if you have a fresh meat counter you can just buy the amount that you need for this recipe, your choice:)  Also, use what wine you like red, white it all works. 

I serve this with cooked Linguini, but any long pasta will work, spaghetti, fettucini use what you like.  I also serve this with shredded parmesan, but again use the cheese that you like.  Enjoy


Christmas Pasta

1/2 lb. ground chuck
2 sweet Italian sausage links, casing removed
6 slices bacon, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped small
1 carrot, chopped small
1 stalk celery, clean and chopped small
1/3 cup red wine
1 T worchester sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 anchovy filets (or can use 1 T anchovy paste)
1 T olive oil
2- 8oz cans tomato sauce
1 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (or can use crushed tomatoes)
1 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 6oz. can tomato paste
1/3 cup brown sugar

shredded parmesan cheese
cooked pasta

seasonings of your choice ( I used Italian seasoning, parsley flakes, dried onion, salt & pepper, bay leaf, pinch of cinnamon & red pepper flakes) salt & pepper


In large pan place olive oil over medium high heat. Add celery, carrot & onion sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Cook for about 3-4 minutes stirring often.  Add bacon cook for 3-4 minutes or until half done.  Add Italian sausage & ground chuck, season lightly with salt & pepper.  Break up meat with spoon and stir until done and no longer pink.  Make a well in the meat add anchovy filets, breaking up with spoon until dissolved.  Add garlic ontop of the anchovy paste and cook for 1-2 minutes stirring mixture into the meat.  Add wine & worchester sauce and deglaze the pan, scraping up any cooked bits from bottom of the pan, cook for just about a minute or two.  Add remaining ingredients (NOT pasta or cheese), stirring well.  Bring to rapid boil, turning heat down to low and simmering for around 30 minutes until thickened.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Remove bay leaf.  Serve sauce over pasta, sprinkle liberally with parmesan cheese.  Enjoy :)