Meat sauce for spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 2.2 kg ground beef
• 3 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 2 large onions, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 cans of 800g canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (400 g) of canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (170 g) of tomato paste
• 1 jar of good-quality store-bought marinara sauce
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 0.5 tsp. crushed red pepper, optional
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 3 tablespoons dried parsley + extra for serving
• 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 whole rind from a wedge of Parmesan cheese, optional
• 0.5 cup grated Parmesan, optional + extra for serving
• 0.9 kg spaghetti, cooked until al dente and tossed with olive oil, for serving
• Garlic and cheese bread, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef until it's completely browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ground beef from the pan to a bowl. Set aside.
2. Drain the pan, but don't wash it. Add olive oil. When it's hot, add the diced onion. Stir for 1.5 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for another minute.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce to the pan. Stir, then add the sugar, salt, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper (if using), and bay leaf. Stir, then add the ground beef and toss to distribute evenly.
4. Cover the pan and simmer the sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or broth if the sauce becomes too thick.
5. After an hour, add chopped parsley, basil, and Parmesan rind, if using (or grated Parmesan, or both!). Stir, then cover again and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce before serving.
6. Serve a large bowl of spaghetti with sauce, allowing guests to help themselves. Top each serving with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy with a large slice of garlic-cheese bread.
   
   Note
   
   This recipe can easily be halved! If you prefer to make a larger batch, you can freeze some of it.