Linguine with Greek meat sauce (makaronia me kima)

Finely chop the onion and cook it in a pot with a little olive oil until soft and golden, about eight to ten minutes.

Add the grated garlic and warm through a few seconds until fragrant.

Add the ground beef, break it up and cook until no longer pink; season with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.

Add the canned tomato sauce, the paprika and the cinnamon; with unseasoned crushed tomatoes, add a little sugar or honey to offset the acidity.

Rinse the bowl with a little water into the pot; cover and cook on medium heat about 20 or 25 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper; add the crushed oregano and chopped parsley and mix.

Cook the linguini in salted boiling water until al dente, about nine or ten minutes.

Lift the pasta into a big bowl, butter it well and season with a little salt.

Thin the meat sauce slightly with some pasta water; its starch keeps it from going too thin.

Serve the noodles topped with kefalograviera (or Parmesan), then the meat sauce, and garnish with chopped parsley if wanted.