Recipe

Oma's Meat Sauce

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Photo by maud

This recipe was entered in the contest for The Best Recipe or Technique Your Mother Taught You
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maud's Notes: Mom used to make this, with spaghetti, about once a week for our family when all five of us kids were growing up. It was my favorite dinner, and now it's my daughters' favorite dinner also...
Mom used to make this, with spaghetti, about once a week for our family when all five of us kids were growing up. It was my favorite dinner, and now it's my daughters' favorite dinner also. She is from Holland originally, and she has always liked to cook low-fat (even in the '70's!), so that's where the draining of the meat and addition of curry powder come from (lots of Indonesian food in Holland).

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Serves 4

1 pound ground beef Ask a question about this ingredient

6 ounces can of tomato paste Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon garlic powder Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon onion powder Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon dried basil Ask a question about this ingredient

1 pinch oregano Ask a question about this ingredient

1 pinch curry powder Ask a question about this ingredient

1 pinch black pepper Ask a question about this ingredient

Brown the beef over low to medium heat, breaking gently apart with a wooden spoon.
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While the meat is browning, add the onion and garlic powder.
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Drain the fat from the beef by tipping the pan over an old can for disposal (or the sink drain if no one is looking-- I did not say that).
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Add the tomato paste and then 2 (tomato paste) cans of tap water and heat to a simmer.
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Add the basil, oregano and curry powder.
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Taste it and see if it needs a little black pepper.
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Simmer for another 10 minutes and serve over spaghetti with grated parmesan cheese.
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5 Comments on Oma's Meat Sauce

maud added over 2 years ago

I make a meatless version of this also-- using Pomi strained tomatoes, sauteed fresh garlic and shallots, and fresh basil-- adapted from a Marcella Hazan recipe which my husband taught me when we first got married (almost 20 years ago)-- but with Mom's curry powder. It's "fresher" but it's not as quick to make, and it's just not Oma's meat sauce.

Arthur added over 2 years ago

there's salt in there somewhere...in my rendition, I add salt when I add the tomato, but am careful to under season and add some later if it needs it....

maud added over 2 years ago

Arthur (my brother, a better cook than me, and so a fellow expert) brings up a good point-- salt depends on the brand of tomato paste you use. If your tomato paste is salty, don't add any; if it's not, go ahead and salt to taste. The brands vary wildly in sodium content. Thanks, Arthur!