This quick and easy meal is perfect to have mid-week. No frills and most importantly no fuss. It can be knocked up in no time whilst your other half runs the bath for you! What can be better, lovely fresh meal followed by a hot bath?
Ingredients you will need are:
1 large onion.
1 green bell pepper.
1 large grated carrot.
3 grated garlic cloves.
1 large tablespoon of Mexican-style spice mix.
25g panko breadcrumbs.
250g beef mince.
400g chopped tomatoes.
200g Penne pasta.
50ml beef stock
Red wine vinegar (if not available I use Balsamic)
Hard Italian cheese or Parmesan.
Method:
Set your oven to 200/400 gas mark 6.
Heat a pan of water and bring to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt, trust me!
Finely dice the onion.
Chop the bell pepper into 1-inch square pieces.
Using a fine grater grate the carrot. No need to peel it just top and tail it and wash it first.
Add a teaspoon of olive oil to a pan and heat it up. Once hot add the mince and cook it until no longer pink, more browny grey colour. This takes around 5 minutes.
Add the chopped onion, garlic and bell pepper.
Stir all the veg and the mice together so all is coated together. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes we add the garlic and the Mexican spice mix and stir them through.
Now we add the chopped tomatoes and the beef stock. Ensure that everything is mixed together well.
Add the Penne to the now boiling water and cook for around 12 to 13 minutes.
Season with pepper and vinegar. Check for salt but the stock tends to add salt to a dish. Cook for the same time that the pasta needs to cook and when that is ready then the mince and sauce is also ready.
Drain the pasta and add to the mince mixture. Coat everything well.
In a separate bowl mix together the Panko breadcrumbs and the cheese. Emma doesn’t do cheese so I leave it out but for you that do like Parmesan then add it now. Add some olive oil and mix together well.
Pour your pasta mix into an ovenproof dish and create an equal layer. Now add the breadcrumbs and coat the pasta and sauce mixture.
Place this in the pre-heated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
After it is cooked, take it out and enjoy. I add the Parmesan at this point once it is in my bowl…well away from Emma’s.
Perfect mid-week meal ready in 40 minutes.
Enjoy. KH.