Light Beef Bolognese

A nice hearty well seasoned beef-wine sauce to serve over pasta. I generally use Merlot for the wine because that's my favorite and I can serve the rest of the bottle with dinner. Sometimes I add another vegetable if I have one on hand, such as sliced mushrooms, peas or green beans.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  cloves garlic, minced
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 medium green bell pepper, diced (1/4" cubes)
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 lb lean ground beef
• 1⁄2 cup dry red wine
• 1 (16 ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes
• 1  tablespoon tomato paste
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1  tablespoon fresh basil
• 1  tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1⁄2  tap dried marjoram
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1  bay leaf
•  fettuccine or  pasta shells, to taste,cooked

Directions

1. In a large saucepan or skillet, sauté the garlic, onion and green pepper in oil over moderate heat.
2. When the vegetables begin to sizzle, crumble the beef into the pan and sauté it, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it begins to brown, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the wine and stir and scrape well to deglaze the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with your wooden spoon.
5. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
6. Simmer until sauce is thick but still slightly liquid, 20-25 minutes.
7. Discard the bay leaf.
8. Spoon over fettucine or shells.