Serves 4

This delicious creamy pasta is comfort in a bowl. It’s quick, easy and relatively inexpensive. You can also add finely chopped vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini and carrot to up your veggie intake.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

500g beef mince

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp mixed herbs

400g crushed tomatoes

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

1 1/2 tsp sale

1/2 tsp black pepper

350g penne, fusili or another short pasta

3/4 cup thickened cream

Method

Heat the oil in a large pot and cook the onion and garlic for about two minutes. Add the beef mince to the pot and fry, breaking it up with a spoon as you go, until it’s brown. Add the herbs, stir, then add the tomato paste and cook for one minute.

Next, add the crushed tomatoes, stock, salt, pepper and chilli flakes (if you’re using them). Give it a stir then add the pasta to the pot and stir again. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Toward the end of the 15 minutes, you’ll need to stir more so it doesn’t stick.

Add the cream but don’t worry that it’s quite ‘saucy’, it’s meant to be like this as the pasta will continue to cook and absorb. Serve hot and topped with parmesan cheese and parsley.