Persian Makaroni: steamed tomato-beef spaghetti

Ingredients and method

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry regular semolina spaghetti, not fresh egg pasta
• 1 pound 85%–90% lean ground beef, kept refrigerated until cooking
• 1/3 US cup olive oil, divided: 2 tablespoons for sauce, 1 tablespoon for drained pasta, remaining 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon for the pot
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt for the sauce, plus additional salt for boiling pasta water
• 3 tablespoons plain tomato paste
• 24 ounces by weight (about 680 grams) plain unseasoned passata or strained tomatoes
• Clean drinking water for boiling pasta according to package directions

Method

1. Prepare a heavy-bottomed or nonstick pot large enough for the combined spaghetti and sauce with a close-fitting lid. Keep raw ground beef and anything used to handle it separate from clean ready-to-eat accompaniments; boil a second large pot of salted pasta water when the sauce is nearly ready.
2. Warm two tablespoons of the measured olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the diced onion until golden at the edges, then add minced garlic and stir briefly. Break in the ground beef with a spoon and add turmeric, oregano, pepper and sauce salt. Cook until the meat is evenly browned, then insert a food thermometer into a suitable compact sample of ground meat and verify it reaches 160°F (71°C).
3. Stir tomato paste through the cooked beef for a few minutes. Add the passata and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 30–40 minutes, stirring and uncovering as needed, until the sauce clings to a spoon rather than releasing watery liquid.
4. Boil the spaghetti according to its package but stop when the strands are still slightly firm in the center (al dente) because they will continue steaming with the sauce. Drain well, then toss gently with the measured one tablespoon olive oil in a large clean bowl to reduce clumping.
5. Fold the thick beef-tomato sauce into the drained spaghetti so most strands are coated. Put all the remaining olive oil from the measured one-third cup across the bottom of the steaming pot, spread the spaghetti mixture loosely over it, and level without pressing it into an airtight brick.
6. Cover with a close-fitting lid and cook over medium-low heat. Begin checking around 30 minutes: the pasta should be tender throughout and the bottom may become lightly golden. Lower the heat if you smell scorching, and stop when the pasta is ready rather than cooking solely to force a dark crust.
7. Turn off the heat and let the pot settle for a few minutes. Scoop onto plates with tongs or a spatula, lifting any lightly crisp base pieces separately. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers.