Bolognese Pasta Bake

Serves 4-6

Time 1 hour

Ingredients

1 brown onion, diced 

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs oregano 

600g pork mince

200ml red wine

500ml tomato passata 

100g butter 

1 bunch basil, leaves picked 

Salt & pepper

500g casarecce or penne 

Breadcrumb topping

½ cup breadcrumbs

⅓ cup parmesan, finely grated

½  bunch parsley, leaves finely chopped

½ bunch oregano, leaves finely chopped

1 bunch thyme, finely chopped 

¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated 

200g bocconcini

200g Danish feta 

Fresh basil leaves, extra to serve

4 slices garlic bread, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Combine all of the ingredients for the breadcrumb topping in a bowl and set aside. 

Sweat down the onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until soft and golden over medium heat. Add bay leaves and oregano. Increase to medium-high heat and add the pork mince. Use the back of a spoon to break up the mince, season with salt and pepper as it’s cooking. Add red wine, tomato passata, basil and butter. Simmer while the pasta is cooking, the sauce should be quite thin.  

Add pasta to a pot of boiling, salted water. Stir for the first minute, cook for half of the cooking time that the packet suggests. 

Spoon the pasta into a large baking dish. Pour the sauce over the pasta, add some more basil and distribute the bocconcini and feta over the pasta. Top with the bread crumb mixture and a little extra parmesan cheese. 

Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and the bread crumbs are crispy and golden.