Great Nan's Pasta Bake

Introduce

Chef :

Sonia

Great Nan's Pasta Bake

My husbands grandmother has a Cypriot background and is an amazing cook. My children love it when she visits us in Bristol because she brings them gifts and money (yes they are that shallow) and she also brings her own food for everyone to eat for lunch. I like to think this is because she enjoys feeding her loved ones rather than she thinks I'm not up to the job 😂 Great Nan is getting on a bit these days, but she very kindly dictated her pasta bake recipe to her daughter (my husbands aunt) who then emailed it to me. I'm recording it here so that we can always eat her pasta bake. #passitonbristol

Ingredient

onion - chopped

375 g

mince (pork and/or beef)

ozs penne pasta

2 tbs

passata or one tsp tomato puree

2 oz

Pure Margarine

2 tbs

plain flour

half

pint milk

Cooking instructions

* Step 1

Fry the onion for one minute then add mince. Brown the mince and add passata or tomato puree.

* Step 2

Add half a cup of water, cover and simmer until water has evaporated. Cook pasta and drain well.

* Step 3

Cover the base of your dish with half the pasta then top with all the mince. Sprinkle mince with the parsley, then layer the rest of the pasta on top.

* Step 4

Make white sauce (melt the butter, add the flour then slowly add the milk while bringing to a boil and stirring constantly) and pour over pasta. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. (Season mince, pasta and white sauce as you go along).

* Step 5

Cook for approximately half an hour until golden brown (gas mark 5 / 190). Mins looks very pale because I made a gluten and dairy free version for the children.