2 lb. piece chuck
1 med. carrot, chopped fine
1 med. onion, chopped fine
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped fine
3 sprigs parsley, chopped fine
1/2 dried mushrooms, soaked in 1 1/2 c. warm water, chopped
1/2 c. tomato paste
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Dash oregano

Brown meat with olive oil and butter in heavy pot, turning frequently. Remove meat and add chopped vegetables to pot. Saute slowly about 10 minutes. Add drained, chopped mushrooms to vegetables and cook 5 minutes.

Mix tomato paste in mushroom water and add to sauce. Add can of tomatoes, crushed or put through strainer to remove seeds. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of oregano to taste. Return meat to sauce, cover and cook slowly 1-2 hours. If sauce is too thin, uncover and cook longer. Remove meat and slice thin for serving with spaghetti if desired. Store meat separately.

When serving pasta, toss cooked pasta with grated Parmesan cheese, before adding sauce. Serve with additional cheese.