Meat Sauce for Pasta

This recipe is actually the basis for a meat lasagne recipe from Classic Home Cooking by Mary Berry and Marlena Spieler. (I have the 1995 edition; I don't know what changes were made but there is a 2003 edition also available). It's a decent cookbook with some basic and not-so-basic recipes. I think what I like best is that the recipes in each section are listed with pictures by prep/cooking times, so you can look at pictures of dishes that will take under 30 minutes, over 60 minutes, etc. I like visuals.

The lasagne is delicious, but we love this meat sauce on spaghetti! And it's so easy! Tonight we made it with ground venison instead of beef. Delicious, with rave reviews from everyone on the ranch.


2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground beef

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/4 cups beef stock

13 oz. canned chopped tomatoes

6 celery stalks, sliced (optional)

2 onions, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

generous salt

black pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the beef and cook, stirring, until browned. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the stock, tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic, tomato paste, sugar and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.