Spaghetti With a Brown Sauce Baked in Foil

From a local specialty store. The Fresh Market. This is a perfect dish to take to a potluck dinner or to a family whose Mom is under the weather. Sauteed mushrooms are a nice addition. Prepare the sauce first. Sauce can be made early the day before to blend flavors.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons butter
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves
• 1  tablespoon tomato paste
• 1  teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2  cups  good quality  beef stock
• 8  ounces  steak
• 8  ounces  fine spaghetti
• 3  tablespoons butter (optional for adding at the end)
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

1. Sauté the onion in half the butter and oil, add garlic and simmer for 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato paste, thyme, and stock. Cut steak into very small pieces. Sauté in the remaining butter and oil until browned on the outside and still pink inside. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water for five minutes and drain in colander. It will not be completely cooked through. Mix the spaghetti, meat mixture, and sauce together in a large foil baking pan. Add the Parmesan cheese and additional butter. Seal tightly with heavy-duty foil and bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes until the pasta is cooked.