Bolognese mac 'n' cheese

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Combining a creamy white pasta sauce with bolognese, this delectable duo takes comfort food to a whole new level.

Tip! Forget butter in your white sauce – use a good Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead. It’s still rich and flavoursome but won’t leave you feeling as heavy.

Ingredients

4 Tbsp classic extra virgin olive oil, plus extra 2 Tbsp

1 brown onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1kg beef mince

2 sticks celery, finely diced

1 carrot, finely diced

2 Tbsp dried oregano

140g tomato paste

700g classic tomato pasta sauce

250ml dry red wine

250g dried macaroni

2 Tbsp plain flour

2 cups milk, warmed

1½ cups shredded tasty cheese, plus extra ¼ cup

30g finely grated parmesan, plus extra 10g

2 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

Method

To make bolognese, heat Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large, wide heavy-based ovenproof saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion, garlic and mince, breaking up mince with a wooden spoon. Cook for 8 minutes or until mince is lightly browned. Add celery, carrot, oregano and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce, wine and 500ml hot water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered with a lid, for 45 minutes.
During the last 15 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add pasta and cook following pack instructions until al dente. Drain well and return pasta to pot off the heat. Set aside.
Meanwhile, put Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat.

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Add flour.

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Cook, stirring constantly, until bubbling. Add milk, about ½ cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Only add more milk once mixture is smooth.

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Stir in tasty cheese and parmesan.

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Stir in parsley.

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Pour white sauce over cooked pasta. Stir to combine.

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Preheat oven to 250°C fan-forced (270°C conventional) or oven grill to medium-high. Season hot bolognese.
Spoon hot pasta mixture over bolognese.

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Scatter with extra tasty cheese, then with extra parmesan. Cook in oven for 15 minutes or under grill for 5 minutes or until cheese is golden. Serve.

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