Beef Pasta and Cheese Casserole

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt to taste

2 garlic cloves, chopped

5ml dried basil

5ml dried marjoram or oregano

5ml paprika

2ml freshly ground black pepper

1 tin tomato purée

500g beef mince

500g macaroni or other pasta pieces

250ml grated cheddar cheese

250ml grated mozzarella cheese

Method:

Sweat the onions in the oil with a pinch of salt. Add the beef mince and cook it, breaking it up as it browns.

Add the garlic, another pinch of salt or two, along with the herbs, paprika, black pepper and half the tomato purée and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for an hour.

Cook the macaroni in boiling water till it’s half done; drain it and add it to the remaining tomato purée. Taste for seasoning and correct if necessary. Cover and allow to cool.

When the pasta has absorbed the tomato juices, transfer it to a large baking dish (or two smaller dishes if you have a smaller family and want to make it stretch to two meals; the second dish can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for a couple of weeks).

Cover with foil and bake in a 200 C oven for 40-45 minutes. Just before you’re ready to eat, remove the foil, cover macaroni with the cheese and return it to the oven under the grill until the cheese is bubbling and starts to brown.

This could also be made with minced chicken, lamb or pork or with canned tuna chunks.