Pasta à la Pat

We are boaters and our first one was a little cuddy.  We were trailing it everywhere until we accepted an invitation from one of Scott's coworker, to visit him and his dad in a marina.  We were welcomed at our slip with a steaming plate of meaty spaghetti.   It was the best I ever had.  Forteen years later, it still is.

I don't know why I never asked for the recipe and never attempted it before, but it's never too late to do the right thing.  Pat is not with us anymore but I felt him guiding me and I think I i did a pretty good job, replicating it.

Pasta à la Pat

1                                                                         Chuck roast

28 oz                                                                 Crushed tomatoes

4                                                                         Carrots 

2 cups                                                               String beans 

3 cloves                                                            Garlic

3                                                                         Scallions 

                                           (white part in the beginning,  green part at the end)

1 tablespoon                                                  Basil

1 teaspoon                                                      Oregano

1/2 teaspoon                                                   Salt and pepper 

1/4 teaspoon                                                   Red pepper flakes

2                                                                         Bay leaves

1 box                                                                Whole wheat penne

Directions 

Put the chuck roast in a slow cooker with the tomatoes, 1 carrot thinneley diced and the spices.  Cook on slow for 8 hours.  After 6 hours, add the 3 remaining carrots and the string beans. 

When it's ready take the roast out, cut into cubes, discarding the fat parts.  Remove the bay leaves.  Put the meat back in the cooker.   Cook the pasta al dente, according to the package directions.  Transfer them in the cooker and let them finishing cooking 1 minutes or 2.  Reserve some pasta water to add to the sauce if your crushed tomatoes are thick.

I call this dish pasta à la Pat because of the chuck roast, but it is also à la Claudie because of the veggies and à la Scott because those veggies are carrots and string beans.  Make it à la whoever and bon appétit!