Cheesy Pasta Bolognese

June 26, 2010 Fieldstown Farm 0 Comments

This dish is very popular with children.

Cheesy Pasta Bolognese
Recipe Type: Main
Author: Fieldstown Farm
This dish is very popular with children.
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 450 gram lean beef minced
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 garlic clove crushed
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 2 celery sticks chopped
  • 2 streaky rashers finely chopped
  • 5 button mushrooms finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 200 gram can chopped tomatoes
  • sprig of fresh thyme
  • 2 cups dried penne pasta
  • 300 millilitres milk
  • 25 gram butter
  • 25 gram plain flour
  • 150 gram diced mozzarella cheese
  • 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • fresh basil sprigs, to garnish
Instructions
  1. Fry the onion, garlic, carrot and celery in olive oil until soft. Add bacon and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, fry for 2 minutes, then fry the beef until brown.
  2. Add the wine, tomato puree, 3 tbsp water, tomatoes and the sprig of fresh thyme. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 200C. Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, place the milk, butter and flour in a saucepan, heat gently, stirring continuously until thickened. Stirr in the mozzarella and half the Parmesan cheeses, and season.
  4. Drain the pasta well, and stir into the cheese sauce. Uncover the Bolognese sauce and boil rapidly for 2 minutes. Spoon the sauce into an ovenproof dish, top with the pasta and cheese mixture and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Garnish with basil.
  5. Serve with salad and garlic bread or fresh crusty bread.