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1
Cook the ground beef with the: 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 tablespoons instant minced onion, and 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic together until the juices run clear.
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2
Seasoning the meat while cooking is very important...it helps to give flavor to the meat itself.
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3
Turn off the skillet and set aside.
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4
Drain any residue fat if there is any in the meat.
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5
Cook the macaroni in boiling water for about 8 or 9 minutes.
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6
This is important.
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7
DO NOT overcook...it should be very 'a la dente' or only about half cooked.
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8
Drain the macaroni well; rinse with cold water and set aside.
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9
The cold water will help the macaroni to stop cooking and keep it from sticking while it waits to go into the skillet.
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10
Add the tomato paste, 1/2 cup water and the stewed tomatoes to the meat.
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11
When adding the stewed tomatoes, pick up each tomato with your hand and squeeze it to crush it more as you put it in the pan.
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12
Turn the heat back on.
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13
Add the 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and the 1 teaspoon msg.
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14
This is when I begin to taste test the juices to see if it needs more salt and pepper.
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15
Sometimes it looks too thick and I will add a little more water to the juices.
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16
Add the macaroni and cook on low to medium heat ONLY until the juices are mostly cooked into the pasta.
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17
I always taste test at the end in case it needs more seasonings.
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18
Each piece of macaroni should be lightly coated with the red sauces of the tomato products when finished.
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19
FIRST NOTE**
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20
My Mother told me that the key to good goulash was the black pepper.
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21
She said that it should have a little bite of the pepper and not be bland in flavor, or as Emerill would say...BAM!.
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22
SECOND NOTE**.
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23
There is nothing worse than overcooked pasta.
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24
It will get mushy if overcooked.
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25
Even when finished it should not be too soft.
