Ingredients :

• Ground beef — Choose at least 15% fat—not the extra-lean ground beef that results in dry, flavorless meat in the sauce. Regular butcher’s ground beef works perfectly. No need to overcomplicate it.
• Elbow macaroni — The elbow shape isn’t just aesthetic: the hollow inside traps the sauce. Penne works too, but not as well. Avoid thin pasta like spaghetti—they turn mushy before the cooking is even finished.
• Canned crushed tomatoes — Not smooth purée, not whole tomatoes—crushed. They provide texture and a non-uniform consistency. Two 400g cans. Avoid overly acidic brands that sting the back of the throat.
• Red bell pepper — It almost completely melts into the sauce. In the end, you won’t really see it, but it leaves a slight sweetness behind. If you don’t like chunks of pepper on your plate, good news: here, it’s not an issue.