Pasta bake, in all of its cheese-topped glory, ticks every box. This family dinner favourite is the ultimate veggie smuggler recipe, making it a gem to cook for fussy eaters; plus, it’s second to none when it comes to comfort food. To improve the dish, culinary experts at My Food Book claimed that it’s essential to “use the right cheese”.
They said: “The best way to achieve a tastier pasta bake with a crunchy golden top is to use the right blend of cheeses.” They noted that some types of cheddar can become oily, and mozzarella can be too mild if you prefer a full flavour. Instead, you need the right ratio of cheddar for flavour, mozzarella for colour and stretch, and parmesan for bite.
Altering your cheese will mean that it “melts beautifully” and gives “crunchy, golden tops on bakes every time”.
To add “even more crunch to the top” of your pasta bake, sprinkle a layer of breadcrumbs on top of your cheese before baking.
Ingredients
For the meatballs
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250g pork and beef mince
125g grated parmesan
Two crushed garlic cloves
One egg, beaten
One quarter cup of dried breadcrumbs
For the pasta bake
Two tablespoons of olive oil
One onion, finely chopped
One pepper, finely chopped
250ml beef stock
Two 400g cans of chopped tomatoes
375g rigatoni pasta
75g grated mozzarella
75g grated cheddar cheese
Method
Start by making the meatballs. Place the mince, half of the parmesan, garlic, egg, and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Roll level tablespoons of the mixture into balls.
For the pasta bake, preheat the oven to 200C/180 Fan/Gas Mark 6 before heating half the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Cook meatballs, turning occasionally, for five minutes or until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion and pepper, stirring, for five minutes or until softened. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes or until mixture reduces slightly. Return meatballs to pan. Simmer for five minutes or until sauce thickens and meatballs are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, following the packet directions. Drain and return to the pan.
Add sauce to pasta and combine. Transfer into a large baking dish and sprinkle over your mozzarella, cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.