Spaghetti Bolognese (Makaronia me Kima)

This past week was Greek Independence Day (on March 25th!) so I decided to make one of my favorite Greek dishes (and one of the easiest) in order to commemorate the occasion.  That dish is spaghetti bolognese, or in Greek, Makaronia me Kima! It's very easy and quick to make, and delicious. The ingredients you need are:

1-1.5 lbs ground beef
1 onion
1 14 oz can (or 1/2 28oz. can) crushed tomatoes
olive oil
salt
pepper
1-2 tbsp cinnamon
4-5 whole allspice
3/4 cup red wine
1 lb spaghetti or pasta of your choice

I start by heating up some olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a saucepan) and sauteing the chopped onion until they begin to soften (about 3-4 minutes).  Then add ground beef; cook until it browns (about 5 minutes).  Then add salt and pepper to taste, 4-5 whole allspice, and at least 1 tbsp. cinnamon.  Mix well.  I like to add enough cinnamon so that you can really smell the aroma. If 1 tbsp. doesn't seem enough to you, then feel free to add more! Once the spices have been mixed, add 3/4 cup red wine and mix. Let the wine boil down (about 4-5 minutes). Then add 1 14oz. can crushed tomatoes (I usually only find the large 28oz. cans and use half), and 3/4 cup water.  Mix well, add a little more salt and pepper, and lower heat so that it simmers.  Now let this sauce simmer for about 40 minutes (it will take that long for the liquid to boil down anyways and thicken).  The longer you cook this sauce, the tastier it is.  You can always add some water and let it simmer longer if it starts to get too thick and you're not ready to boil your pasta yet.  When you're ready for your pasta, just boil water and cook the spaghetti to your liking. I drain the pasta in a colander, and then put back in the original pot I boiled it in.  Add sauce to the pot with your pasta, and mix well. And that's it! It's very easy to make, and tastes delicious.  This recipe makes about 5 large servings, so you'll have plenty of leftovers.  Serve as is, or with some grated cheese on top. Kali Oreksi!