Baked Pasta with Ground Beef in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Before I began with the recipe, please note that you will only need to bake this dish very briefly to get the cheese melted to give it a nice golden crust on the top. Most of the cooking will be on the stove. This dish serves about 4-5 adults. You can stretch it [if you're on a budget] by adding in more pasta and as cheese is quite costly, I tend to add more of the bechamel sauce and less of the cheese. I tend to use any store bought pasta sauce [from the Jar type] which I find is quite yummy, cost and time effective too. Of course homemade sauce is always better but who has the time!

Also, please feel free to use or replace any type of vegetables you have available. It's not necessary to get a particular ingredient just because the recipe says so. Be creative and let out that inner chef in you!!



Ingredients

For the Bechamel [white] sauce

2 Cups of Milk [UHT or Powdered Milk mixed with warm water]

100 gms Butter

1.5 cups All Purpose Flour

Salt & Pepper

2 Egg Yolks

1. In a heavy based pot or pan, melt butter on very low fire. As it melts, stir in the flour in 3 batches. Be sure to stir vigorously til all the flour is well blended with the butter and becomes a smooth very thick paste. Note: You may add more flour if you find that the sauce is too watery at this stage.
2. Pour in half of the milk and the 2 egg yolks into the pot and stir untill well blended. Add in the remaining milk till you reach a smooth and thick custard like consistency in your sauce. Note: If your sauce is still too thick, you may add more milk or water to adjust.
3. Seasoned with Salt and Pepper [To taste] and set it aside.

Recipe for Spicy Beef Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

500 gms of Ground Beef

2 Tbs Cooking Oil

2 Tbs Chilli Powder

1 Tbs Cayenne Pepper [If not available, just add more Chilli Powder]

2 Tps Cumin Powder

2 Jars of store bought Tomato Based Pasta Suace [the type with chunky vege is better]

Salt & Pepper to taste

Grated Cheddar or Parmesan Cheese [Reserved for later]

* You can add in more vegetables if you like [Eggplant, Mushrooms, Bell Peppers, Grated Carrots, Tomatoes etc.]

Method

1. Heat the pan on high heat and add in the oil. Once hot, add in ground beef and stir for a minute making sure to break up huge pieces of the beef.
2. Add in Chilli Powder, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper and stir till well combined. If you have any vege to add this will be the time to add in your chopped veges.
3. Pour in the 2 Jars of Pasta Sauce and add 1 cup of water into pan. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat or till your vegies are cooked.
4. Seasoned to taste with Salt and Pepper. Note: Some Sauces can be a little too sour/acidic, add in a tsp or 2 of sugar if you prefer to cut down on the sourness]
5. Set it aside.

For The Pasta

1 Large Packet of Fussilli / Shell Shaped Pasta

Just follow the cooking instructions on the packet itself. Always check on the doneness of the pasta 1 to 2 minutes before the allocated cooked time. You don't want an overcooked pasta!

* Be sure to salt the cooking water heavily with salt. [about 3 tablespoons of salt] This will bring out the natural flavour of the pasta when its cooked.

To Assemble

In a large Casserole dish [oven proof], mixed the cooked pasta with the spicy tomato sauce till well combined. Level the surface and topped with the White Bechamel Sauce. Sprinkle with the grated Cheese and baked in an oven at 180 degrees Celcius. Till the cheese melts and the top is golden brown.

Serve Hot.