Ingredients 1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice 3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice 4 cloves garlic Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan Kosher salt 3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination 2 cups tomato paste 3 cups hearty red wine Water 3 bay leaves 25 white napkins 1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle 1 pound spaghetti 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
Directions Cut up white napkins into small squares. In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, bits of napkins, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.
Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.
Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should ALWAYS be well salted. Salty as the ocean! TASTE IT! If your pasta water is under seasoned it doesn't matter how good your sauce is, your complete dish will always taste under seasoned. When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is cooking remove 1/2 of the ragu from the pot and reserve.
Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining ragu. Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced. Turn off the heat and give a big sprinkle of Parmigiano and a generous drizzle of the high quality finishing olive oil. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately.
Germany was at the kitchen table eating morning sausages while reading the newspaper, having his reading glasses on. _ was working on cooking and preppng the ingredients for the pasta. Ludwig almost chocked on his coffee when she began to throw the white napkins into the processor. Her mind began to drift off to how her life was before all these strange men entered into her life.
_ was a member of one of the wealthest families in the US, but she was alone, secluded from the world. Her parent's gave her everything and anything she ever wanted. Though she never got the one thing, the only thing that she truely wanted: a real family. Her ever watchful and protective parents never let her out of their sight. She was home schooled, her only true friends were the plushies in her room. All her maids and butlers only liked her becuase they were PAID to. In truth, she knew that anyone that was her friend was only after one thing, the money. _ was frustrated, she couldn't go to her parents about how she felt. They would just bring all the reasons of why she shouldn't feel that way.
When she became an adult her parents bought her, her own place, and left her with enough money to buy whatever she needed or wanted. Yes, it felt wonderful to finally be on her own, but she was still alone. Once the boredom, and loneliness began to eat away at her it was time to move on. She enrolled into a college, purposely getting into a lower class one. A place where noone would know her. There were two main problems that she came across, she was Xenophobic and an introvert.[1] She wanted to have at least one friend, upon realizing this how could she? Everything was just seemed so hopeless, until one day.
"Psst! Excuse me." _ was poked, and nearly jumped out of her skin. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you, mind if I sit next to you?" _ looked up at this strang person, and shook her head. "G-g-go ahead." "Kay! Thanks everywhere else is taken." They plopped themself into a chair across from her. "Soo, I've seen you in few of my courses. Are you trying to be a chef too?" She nodded, "Y-yes." "Neat! We should Totally help eachother out than! Do you have any specaility's?" _ shook her head, sinking into her seat. They frown and dug into thier backpack, pulling out a book, and handed it to her. "Here you can try cooking some of these up, see what style you like." She took the book, and stared at the cover, before looking back to them. "Th-thank you." "Hey, no problem, what are friends for." A bell sounded. "Ah! Crap I Have to go, I'll catch you around! Oh hey about the book, just return whenever, later!" Before she could even say thank you they were gone. _ blushed to herself thinking, 'Finally, a friend.'
*~*~*~* Meanwhile in the World of Hetalia *~*~*~*
"Oh no! Germany! Germany! Where did-a Germany go? GEERMMMAANNNYY!" Italy was frantically running around the G8 meeting room. "Oi fratello, shut up already!" Romano yelled. "But Romano, he did just vanish into thin air. just like the others." Spain stated, now poking him in the cheek with a pencil. "I know! Stop that you jerk!" he swated the pencil out of Spain's hand. "Oui, it is much too quite without Angleterre here." France mutterede to himself as he absent-mindedly ran his fingers through his hair. "I think this is getting interesting, fufufu~" Russia said as he 'helped' Lativa get taller. "Hmph, you western nations are so inconciderate." "GERMANNYY! GEERRRMMAANNYY!" Turkey was yelling random things at Greece, who was in an undistrubed sleep throughout all the commontion.
Suddenly the doors burst open, and Prussia strutted in. "Oi! West let's go get a beer!" His crimson eyes scanned the room, before he frowned. "Where's West?" "Vat do you care? Your not even a country zo you shouldn't even be here. Now leave ve have inportant matters zo dicuss." Austria shooed Prussia away like he was a pest. "Pfft, that cause I'm to awesome to be a country." He was suddenly tackled to the ground by a crying Italy. He sat up grabbing Italy's shoulders, "Feliciano! What's wrong?" "I-it's Germany *sniffle* he's *sniffle* GOOONNNEEEE!" He returned to brawling his eyes out, buring his face into Gilbert's shoulder. "What do you mean West is gone?" Prussia was quite perplexed. "He vanished." Feli sniffled out. Prussia was in shocked. Vanished.. no he couldn't have... Could he? He started to shake clutching onto Italy as an attempt to steady himself.
Prussia's grip was begining to fail him, he stared at Italy... no what was left of Italy. He was disolving, vanishing into thin air. "FRATTELLO!" Romano yelled as he came running to try to aid his younger brother. He clasped onto his knees tears threatening to spill out of his eyes as the last bit of his brother evaporated before he could even say goodbye.
*~*~*~* Meanwhile *~*~*~*
No one still has no bloody idea where Carman Sandiego is... Seriously? Where the hell is that woman.[2]
Smoke leaked out of the sides of the oven door. "Ack! It's-a so dark in here! Someone-a save me I'm afriad of the-a dark!" Ludwig got up quickly and opened up the oven door in a hurry. A brunette hair man tummbled out, crying, grabbing onto the frist thing he could, _. She started to shake nervously, completely unsure of what to do. "ITALIA!" Ludwig barked making the two of them cringe. Italy out of habit whined, "Don't-a hurt me Germany." The brunnette blinked than smiled wide, quickly turning around and glomping Ludwig. "GERMANY I MISSED-A YOU SO MUCH! WE THOUGHT-A YOU WERE GONE FOR-A GOOD!" the italian squeled. "Ja, ja I missed you to, now get out of my face." he said as he patted him on the head.
Ludwig ended up having to pry Italy off of himself, before he could introduce him. "Italy this is _, _ this is Italy." The brunnette gave her a sudden hug, and kissed her on both her cheeks.[3] "Caio! You can call me Feliciano or-a Feli for short. You can even-a call me Italy! My sei cos bella![4]" _ had no idea what he said but the way he said it caused her cheeks to heat up. "Uh I'm _, n-nice to m-meet you."
"What's going on in here?" Everyone turned towards the enterance of the kitchen to see Arthur and Vlad entering. "Heh, so we have another one here, and so early." Vlad said smirking. Arthur sighed,"Do you at least have the device ready?" "Ja," Ludwig said as he handed the device to Arthur. "Thank you. Now we'll be able to start getting data on what's going on here."Arthur flipped afew switches and placed it near the stove. "Now we need you to start cooking, again. Anyone have any ideas?" England leaned his back against the counter. Italy waved his hand around while bouncing,"I do! I do! How about my big brother Romano and-a Prussia! He was so worried about-a you Germany!" Ludwig's face flushed.
_ nodded and began searching through the cookbook making tabs on the pages "Romano sfincione pizza" and "Prussia So klopse" the picture of the later made Feliciano faint.[5]
NOTE: Look at that we know abit more about you. So sorry if these guys are ooc. I'm trying.
[1] Fear of strangers, explains why you kept hiding behind Arthur, no?
[2] Told you people that I would touch this in the last chapter.. pfft you didn't believe me did you?
[3] This is a typical Italian greeting.
[4] You are so pretty (italian)
[5] Have you ever seen it? That dish looks like... well you look it up it's mainly known as K nigsberger Klopse