One-Pot Bucatini Bolognese

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 450 g of ground beef with 15-20% fat content
• 1 can (800 g) of canned chopped tomatoes
• 340 g bucatini pasta, broken in half
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for serving

Preparation:

1. In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, carrot, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat. Add the ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the ground beef with a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, bucatini, 3 cups of water, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to coat the pasta.
3. Bring to a boil and continue cooking, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until al dente and the sauce has thickened, 10-12 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley, and season with salt to taste. Divide the pasta among 4 warm bowls and serve, garnished with parsley and Parmesan.
   
   Note
   
   The success of this dish depends on the specific shape of the pasta, so we do not recommend substituting bucatini with another pasta.