Penne with Steak

With the days becoming shorter and the nights cooler, perhaps you've been thinking about preparing a little more hearty fare. This recipe for Penne with Steak, adapted from Giada's Family Dinners, is perfect for an autumn evening. It's also a more budget-friendly way to serve a rib eye, New York strip or, my preference, top sirloin. For the sauce, I use only a few tablespoons of olive oil, instead of 1/4 cup, and puree the tomatoes without their juice to maintain their color and flavor.

Penne with Steak

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. rib eye, New York strip or top sirloin
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 cup red wine
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
12 oz. penne or other tubular pasta
3 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved
salt and pepper or grill seasoning to taste

Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high to high heat. Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper or grill seasoning. Sear the steaks until browned but still rare, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate to cool completely.

Add the onion and carrots to the same pan and saute over medium heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and oregano. Pour in the wine and allow to reduce slightly. Add the marinara and broth, and let mixture simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

In the meantime, cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente (about 1 minute under the minimum recommended cooking time); stir frequently.

Trim the steak of any excess fat and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Drain the pasta. Add the pasta, steak and any accumulated juices from the meat to the sauce, allowing the flavors to come together over medium heat, about 1 minute. Serve with the shaved Parmesan cheese.

Giada's Quick Marinara Sauce

2 28 oz. cans whole plum tomatoes with juice
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, cooking until very tender, about 12 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from their cans and puree with the basil. Stir in the tomato juice, puree, oregano and sugar and allow sauce to simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving or freezing.