Beautiful BAKES

BEEF MAC ‘N‘ CHEESE BAKE

SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK: 55 MINS

1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tblsp fresh thyme leaves
500g regular beef mince
⅓ cup tomato paste
¾ cup dry red wine
400g can chopped tomatoes

TOPPING

200g elbow macaroni pasta
2 cups milk
2 x 29g sachets white sauce powder
1 cup shredded parmesan
1 cup grated mozzarella

1 Grease a large oven-proof dish (12-cup capacity).

2 Heat an oiled, 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 tomato paste.

3 Add wine to pan. Bring to a boil. Add tomatoes and ½ cup of water. Return to a boil. Cover with a lid. Gently boil for about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared dish.

Meanwhile, make topping. Cook pasta in a