(Fairly) Quick Penne Ragú

Hey there!

I don’t know if this is true for you guys, but when I don’t know what to cook, my mind tends to gravitate towards pasta. Think about it: it’s quick, it’s super tasty, it’s highly customisable, and above all else, it’s easy!

So this week’s post is a simple but mighty penne ragú, packed full of flavour. It’s a great recipe for larger groups, and my guests love it. So, let’s get to it!

Ingredients:

• 250 g beef mince
• Olive oil, for frying
• Salt and pepper
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-3 carrots, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 200 g penne pasta
• 2 tbsp. tomato pureé
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 red wine stock pot
• 50 ml water, for the sauce
• Handful of chives, chopped
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 200º C, and boil the pasta in a large pot of water, according to the packet instructions. When the pasta is ready, drain and add a tiny bit of olive oil to prevent it from sticking together.
• In a large frying pan, heat up a drizzle of olive oil. When it’s hot, add the mince and cook for 5-7 minutes, until it’s browned. Break up the bigger bits so it cooks evenly, and season with salt and pepper.
• Add the sliced onion, the grated carrots and the minced garlic, and stir with the mince.
• Add the tomato pureé, stir and cook for one minute or two.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, the red wine stock pot and the water. Combine together, bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer until it’s thick, for about 10-12 minutes.
• While the pasta cooks and the mince is simmering, chop the chives. Drain the mozzarella and break it into pieces.
• Once everything is ready, mix the mince mixture with the pasta, add half of the chives and combine well.
• Pour into an oven-safe dish, and scatter the mozzarella on top. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden.
• Sprinkle the remaining chives on top and serve.
• Enjoy!

This is what my Penne Ragú looked like:

As I wrote before, one of the strong points of this dish is that it’s highly customisable. So, go ahead and switch beef for pork or other mince, add mushrooms and spinach to increase your veggie count, or play around with different types of cheese. It’s up to you!

I hope you like this recipe. Now it’s your turn – please let me know in the comments if you’ve tried it, what you thought, and maybe even send us a picture of your Penne Ragú!

Happy cooking!