Pasta Bake (Slow Cooker)
This slow cooker dish is based loosely on an American-style Baked Ziti, except ziti is not routinely available in the UK. I toyed with using macaroni instead, but decided to use penne.
It is not an elegant dish, but is very quick and easy to prepare, and tastes delicious.
Pasta Bake (Slow Cooker)
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef mince
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, 400g each
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 1 dash Worcestershire Sauce
- 500 ml water or stock
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp orageno
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dark brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 packet penne pasta (400-500g)
- 2 small mozzarella cheeses (2 x 150g)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- grated parmesan to garnish
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, cook the onions until soft, then add the beef and brown gently. Stir in garlic and Worcestershire Sauce and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Place beef mixture in a large slow cooker, and add tomatoes, tomato paste, water/stock, garlic, sugar and herbs. Stir well.
- Cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 6 hours.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Add dried pasta (no need to precook) and give it a good stir, to coat every bit of pasta.
- Cover and continue cooking for a further 30 minutes (high) or 45 minutes (low). Check and stir halfway through.
- Chop the first mozzarella ball and stir it into the pasta, so it is well distributed. Chop the second mozzarella ball, and scatter it over the top.
- Cook for a further 5-10 minutes until mozzarella has melted.
- Serve in bowls with optional sprinkling of parmesan.
You can get ziti from Ocado 🙂
I generally substitute penne as well. Seems to work well enough for most things. I have a very similar recipe we like to use in the slow cooker.
I usually use penne and I’m in the US!