Ingredients:

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 small cloves garlic chopped
• 2 small-medium peppers: 1 yellow and 1 green
• 1 1/4 lb. chop meat
• Red wine
• Fresh basil
• 1 large plus one small can whole san marzano tomatoes, chop and all of liquid
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Red pepper flakes
• 1 pound fresh spinach, cooked and patted dry to remove any excess liquid
• 1 pound pasta (Note: I used Trader Joe’s gluten free pasta.)
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar jack cheese, shredded

Instructions:

1. In large sauté pan heat oil and sauté onions, garlic, peppers until softening. Remove and add basil.
2. Brown meat and drain oil. Add few slugs of wine and let some evaporate.
3. Add back veggies, add tomatoes, salt and pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes- all to taste.
4. Boil, then simmer uncovered for 30+ minutes or so until thickened. Add more basil. Taste and add seasonings if needed.
5. Cook pasta all dente.
6. Add cooked spinach to sauce then mix with pasta.
7. Cover with cheese and bake on 350 degrees until bubbly.

Make ahead:  You can refrigerate it without cheese for a day. Then warm covered with foil. When getting hot, uncover, add cheese to finish.

Yields 4 big servings or can stretch to 6 servings.

Allergen information:

• This recipe is dairy free if you omit the cheese.
• This recipe is gluten free if made with gluten free pasta.
• This recipe is  nut free.

Nutrition information:

Photographs: