Photo illustration by Lille Allen; see below for full photo credits
The recipe is a reminder that magic can be made in the kitchen in almost no time at all
Putting together a lazy, carb-laden meal on a Sunday evening is my modus operandi. Sometimes it’s a grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with pickled jalapenos; other times I go the shrimp and instant grits route. Some nights all I can muster is a pile of buttered Pop-Tarts. But nothing is as solid a play as pasta. This tried-and-true starch-plus-sauce combination works like a charm to calm the often woeful vibes of a Sunday night, and also checks all the boxes for simplicity, affordability, and unbeatable versatility.
Lately, my Sunday dinner of choice has come from the cavatappi al sugo recipe found on the back of Ronzoni’s cavatappi box. Translated as cavatappi with sauce, it’s a reminder that magic can be made in the kitchen in a surprisingly short time.
The ingredients can be easily found in your pantry or the forgotten corners of the crisper drawer. Carrots, onions, and celery create the sauce’s flavor base — and if you’re out of the fresh stuff you can easily substitute a canned or frozen vegetable medley. Canned tomatoes are a must-have, and while the recipe calls for the crushed variety, I’ve used diced, pureed, and whole peeled with similar success. Ground beef is also essential, along with garlic and basic seasonings. It is important to note that I incorporate three times the amount of garlic that’s called for; the intense aroma helps me feel like I’m doing something gourmet, and more than that, I’m just a garlic person.
The first step is adding the mirepoix mixture and garlic to a well-oiled skillet and cooking it for at least five minutes. While the vegetables soften, there is an abundance of room for creativity. If your spice rack is scant, keep it straightforward with just oregano. But if inspiration calls, add thyme, basil, or red pepper flakes for a more sophisticated finish. Whichever path you choose, incorporate the beef and tomatoes after the vegetables and aromatics become tender. If you’re like me and you enjoy a bottle of red as the weekend comes to a close, feel free to pour ⅓ to ½ cup of the wine into the sauce at this point — I’m partial to a cheap but substantial cabernet sauvignon or spicy zinfandel. Fifteen minutes of necessary simmering time is the perfect opportunity to turn your attention to boiling noodles and setting them aside.
Cavatappi’s short corkscrew shape is both visually appealing and efficient. The space in between twists perfectly captures sauce and its accompaniments. Imagine a mountain of springy pasta coated in a rich blanket of uber-savory tomatoes and succulent beef; that’s the fail-safe result that keeps me coming back. And the space for substitutions is endless — if you’re working with ground pork and a slightly different set of vegetables, you can still assemble a wonderful meal with a similar flavor profile. Someone new to Italian cuisine, or even cooking in general, can easily master the technique and branch out to their heart’s desire. I am personally loyal to cavatappi (also known as cellentani), but you could easily swap it for elbow macaroni or rigatoni in a pinch.
The finished sauce is the true star of the show; it clings to every crevice with its hearty, fragrant presence. Every time I make it, I get a cozy feeling that’s just enough to conquer the Sunday Scaries. When I want to beat my end-of-weekend dread, I can rely on a glass of wine and bowl of saucy pasta buried in Parmesan to do the trick.
Rai Mincey is a food writer and baking enthusiast whose focuses include culinary history, seasonal cooking, and Southern cuisine. She splits her time between Birmingham, Alabama, and Tulum, Mexico.
Additional photo illustration credits: pasta photo by Rai Mincey
