Beef Mac N Cheese Bake

Serves 4, Prep 25 mins, Cook 25 mins

1 tblsp olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tblsp fresh thyme leaves 500g regular beef mince ¹∕³ cup tomato paste ¾ cup dry red wine 400g can chopped tomatoes Salt and pepper, to taste

TOPPING 200g elbow pasta 2 cups milk 2 x 29g sachets white sauce

powder ½ cup shredded parmesan 1 cup grated mozzarella

1 Grease a large oven-proof dish (12-cup capacity). 2 Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add onion, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add beef. Cook, stirring to break up mince, for about 4 minutes, or until browned. Stir in paste. 3 Add wine to pan. Bring to boil. Add tomatoes and ½ cup water. Return to boil. Cover with lid. Gently boil for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared dish. 4 Meanwhile, make topping. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water until tender. Drain. Return to pan. 5 Whisk milk and sauce powder in a medium saucepan over a high heat until boiling. Gently boil, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes, or until thickened. Add to pasta with parmesan and half the mozzarella. Stir to combine. 6 Spoon topping over beef mixture. Spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. 7 Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for about 25 minutes, or until golden. Serve.

TIP Mince mixture can be made up to two days ahead. Keep, covered, in the fridge. To make pasta ahead, rinse cooked pasta under cold water. Drain well. Using your hands, rub a little oil through pasta so it won’t stick together. Refrigerate, covered,...