My sister shared this recipe with me and of course I had to change it up a bit. This was so lovely on a cold winter’s night to warm up. I think you’ll love it too.

2 large onions

1 lb. (500g) lean ground beef

1 carrot

6 garlic cloves

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 Tablespoon crushed fennel seeds

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 bay leaves

2 (14oz.) diced Italian tomatoes

6 cups (1.5 liters) water

Optional to add at end in each bowl:

handful cooked, broken spaghetti noodle

spoonful ricotta cheese

grated parmesan or pecorino

Method:

1. Finely dice both onions.

2. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, over medium heat, brown the ground beef and chopped onion. Stirring to break up every so often. Brown approximately 8 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, dice the carrot into small cubes (Brunoise Dice) and set aside. Mince all the garlic cloves.

4. Once the meat is cooked though, add the garlic, diced carrots, and tomato paste. Saute for 1 minute, stirring to avoid the garlic from burning.

5. Next add the spices: fennel, oregano, chili flakes and sea salt. Stir to incorporate.

6. Pour in the canned tomatoes and water. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 30 minutes.

7. Serve with your favorite additions: cooked, broken spaghetti pasta, ricotta and parmesan cheese. Enjoy