Bolgonese pasta shells
Pasta bolgonese is many children’s all-time favourite . But if you’d like to give it a twist in festive period just fill the
ragu into pasta shells and pour over with a lovely tomato sauce.
Ingredients for 4-6:
400 g pasta shells
600 g minced beef
1 shallot
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
50 ml red wine
small bunch of fresh basil
2 sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp tomato purée
for the tomato sauce:
1 tomato passata (500 g)
fresh basil
salt (to taste)
1 teaspoon sugar
some water
150 g freshly grated parmesan
1. Heat the oil in the frying pan. Finely slice the shallot and fry until soft and add the mashed garlic.
2. Add the beef to the shallot and fry until the meat is browned. Pour in the wine and turn the heat on high. Wait
until all the alcohol is eliminated. Then add some salt, finely sliced basil, thyme and tomato. Cover it with a lid and
cook for 10 minutes.
3. In an other pan cook the tomato sauce. Pour the passata, finely sliced basil, season with salt and sugar, pepper to
taste. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes. Add some water if it is too thick.
4. Meanwhile cook the pasta shells. To make it easier t o fill the pasta cook it al dente so that keeps its shape.
5. Put under running cold water and drain well. To prevent the pasta sticking together add a drop of olive oil and
stir carefully.
6. Preheat the oven to 190 C. Take a rectangle shape ovenproof dish and grease the bottom. Fill the pasta shells
with meat each by each. Arrange them nicely on the bottom of the dish (the open side facing up) and pour in the
tomato sauce spoon by spoon being careful not to overturn the shells.
7. Grate some cheese over the top, cover well. Bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes and serve warm.