Bolognaise and basil pasta bake

This recipe was born on a weeknight after a long day at work. I really wanted to make cannelloni, but the thought of spending another 30 minutes filling cannelloni tubes was too much to bear. And so I took the lazy route and made this pasta bake instead.

Bolognaise and basil pasta bake

Serves 6 people

400 g ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cans of whole, peeled tomatoes

250 ml beef stock

125 ml red wine

10 ml Italian spices

10 ml origanum

Small handful of basil, chopped

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp plain flour

500 ml milk

300 ml grated cheese

250 g penne pasta, cooked

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Brown the ground beef. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion turns translucent. Add the tomatoes, stock and wine. Allow to simmer for at least 45 minutes. Add the Italian herbs, origanum and basil 10 minutes before the sauce is done.

To make the Bechamél sauce, melt the butter and whisk in the flour to make your rue. Add the milk and allow to thicken. Remember to keep an eye on it and stir from time to time to prevent it burning on the bottom.

In a baking dish, combine to pasta and the Bolognaise and basil sauce. I like to mix the pasta and the sauce so you get a bit of both with every forkful. Top with the Bechamél and finish with the grated cheese. I prefer cheddar as mozzarella tends to go a bit rubbery.

Bake the dish for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown. Wait 10 minutes before serving to avoid dishing up pasta soup instead of pasta bake.