Spaghetti "Italian"

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g roast beef
• 500g spaghetti
• 1 cup of cream
• 300g Gouda
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 slice(s) of bacon
• 3 tbsp ketchup, preferably sweet
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp vegetable broth, instant
• Thyme
• salt and pepper
• possibly flour for binding

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes

Spaghetti with an Italian sauce, Czech style

This is a recipe my grandmother from Northern Bohemia often made. Loosely translated, it just means “Italian,” but it’s Czech/Bohemian style. First, we salt and pepper the roast beef, then generously rub it with thyme. We sear the meat in the pressure cooker on all sides to achieve a nice, dark brown color. Finally, we add the coarsely chopped onion and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes, along with the slice of bacon. We pour in about 1 liter of water, add a generous splash (about 3 tablespoons) of tomato ketchup and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of broth (preferably homemade), mix everything together, and let the roast simmer in the pressure cooker for 40 minutes. To clarify: We use ketchup to add a touch of sweetness to the sauce; you can also use more tomato paste and a little sugar, but I’m used to a generous splash of ketchup. Czech ketchup is much sweeter than German ketchup, so don’t skimp on it. While cooking, grate the Gouda cheese as finely as possible; please don’t use store-bought, pre-grated cheese, which is much too coarse. This very fine method, combined with the sauce, creates a wonderful flavor. Once the pressure cooker has been depressurized, heat salted water in a large pot and cook the spaghetti to your liking. Meanwhile, remove the meat and thinly slice it. Strain the entire sauce through a sieve, then add a cup of cream and bring back to a boil. If you like, you can thicken the sauce with flour mixed with water. Season the sauce to your taste with salt, pepper, and/or thyme. Very important! When serving, add the finely grated Gouda cheese to the pasta, cover with the sauce, and enjoy. Add two slices of meat, and you’re done.