Bucatini Bolognese

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling on high. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel and small dice the carrot and onion. Cut off and discard the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts. Pick off and reserve the Brussels sprouts leaves until you reach the lighter cores; discard the cores. Pick the basil leaves off the stems; discard the stems.

In a large, high-sided pan (or pot), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic, carrot and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the ground beef; season with salt and pepper. Cook, frequently breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

Add the tomato sauce and 1 cup of water to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer on high. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, 6 to 8 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.

While the sauce cooks, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the finished sauce, butter, Brussels sprouts, half the basil (tearing just before adding) and half the reserved pasta cooking water; season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring vigorously to coat the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. (If the sauce seems dry, gradually add the remaining pasta cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.) Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the finished pasta between 4 dishes. Garnish with the remaining basil (tearing just before adding) and cheese. Enjoy!