Ricotta Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

- 500g beef/pork mince

- 3 onions, diced

- 6 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 tbsp fennel seeds

- 1 tbsp coriander seeds

- 2 tbsp tomato paste

- 2 cans chopped tomatoes

- 500ml beef stock

- 3 sprigs thyme

- 3 sprigs rosemary

- 500g pasta

- 200g mozzarella

- 200g

- 250g ricotta

- To serve: chopped parsley

Instructions:

- Heat oil in a pan and add in your meat. Season with salt and pepper. Let brown, then remove and set aside.

- In the same pan, heat oil and add in your onions. Let caramelise, then add in the garlic and spices, frying until fragrant. Add in the tomato paste and cook until darkened.

- Return the meat to the pan, and add in the cans of tomatoes and beef stock. Add in the thyme and rosemary. Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes or until reduced and thickened. Salt and pepper to taste.

- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to instructions, removing about 2 minutes before cooked. Add a ladle of pasta water to the sauce, and remove the rosemary and thyme.

- Drain the pasta and rinse to stop cooking. Add 2 ladles of sauce to the pasta and toss to coat.

- Grate the mozzarella and parmesan and combine.

- In a baking dish, layer sauce, followed by pasta, followed by dollops of ricotta and the cheese mixture. Repeat 2 to 3 times until the ingredients are used up, finishing with a generous serving of grated mozzarella and parmesan.

- Preheat your oven to 190C and foil your baking tray. Let bake, covered, for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake at 220C to let the top brown for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

- Top with parsley before serving.