Beef Italienne

¼ cup olive oil
30 medium to large garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups chopped onions, in all
1½ pounds ground beef
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Boo Boo's Cajun Shaker
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 can (5½ ounces) unsweetened apple juice
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup canned tomato puree
1 cup chopped celery
4 cups beef stock or water, in all
½ teaspoon salt
1 pound uncooked dry pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions

Directions

In a 3½-quart saucepan over high heat, heat olive oil about 3 minutes or until it just starts to smoke. Add garlic and stir to coat with oil. Cook about 2 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned. Remove garlic with slotted spoon and reserve.

Add 1 cup of the onions to saucepan and stir well. Cook, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes or until onions are caramelized. Remove onions with slotted spoon and reserve.

Add ground beef and 1 tablespoon of the Boo Boo's Cajun Shaker. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up meat chunks, about 6 minutes or until meat has browned. Stir in flour and cook about 4 minutes, stirring as crust browns on bottom of skillet. Stir in apple juice to deglaze pan, stirring and scraping up browned crust. Cook another 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, reserved onions and garlic, the celery and the remaining onions. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally at first, then frequently. Stir in 2 cups of the stock and the remaining Meat Magic. Cook about 5 minutes or until sauce is boiling. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Stir in the remaining stock and the salt; increase heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minuets or until sauce is boiling. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, 11 minutes. Pour sauce over hot cooked pasta.

Serves 6