Cheese Pasta Bolognese Bake

Serves 4
Pasta bake is a wonderful warm filling meal and the ultimate student food. I think all students I know have a cupboard full of pasta. Pasta bakes may take quite a bit longer then beans on toast, but it is a much more satisfying meal and it is worth spending the extra time. Cook a massive dish full of cheese pasta Bolognese bake and then you won’t need to cook for days or you will end up feeding your housemates.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 5 button mushrooms
• 450g lean mince beef
• 120 ml red wine
• 15 ml 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 200g can chopped tomatoes
• Fresh thyme sprigs
• 225g penne pasta
• 300ml milk
• 25g butter
• 25g cup plain flour
• 150g mozzarella
• Salt and pepper
• 50g cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Cook the pasta in a sauce pan of boiling water and then drain.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add onions, garlic, carrots and cook until soft. Add the mushrooms in for 3 minutes. Add the mince in and stir frequently until brown.
3. Add wine, tomato puree, and 3 tbsp of water, the tomatoes and thyme sprig. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C or gas mark 6.
5. Meanwhile make the cheese sauce by placing milk, butter, flour in a pan on a low heat and whisk. Add in the mozzarella.
6. Stir the white sauce into the pasta.
7. Pour the bolognese sauce in an oven proof dish and the pasta on top. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 25 minutes.