Image: Pixabay.

Unlike any other week, this munching Tuesday greeted me not with a craving for sweets but for something delicious that could be a quick and easy dinner. And no matter how many things I thought about and how many new recipes I saved on my computer, in the end pasta always wins. So this is a recipe for all the pasta lovers out there. Much easier than making lasagne. Significantly cheaper than scouring the stores for rarer or unknown products or spices. And most importantly, there will be no more arguments between family members on what to have for dinner. Hopefully…

Overall, this is now one of my favourite pasta recipes. One bite in and I knew it would be a permanent recipe in my little collection. What I really like about it is that quick, easy, doesn’t require a ton of ingredients and is surprisingly filling. Being budget friendly is also a plus if you’re trying to cook more at home while attempting to save a little at the same time.

Overall rating: 9.5/10 Sporks (I am reserving the half since I accidentally miscalculated the ratio of meat and pasta shells)

Time: 30-40 minutes (depends if you multitask or take your time to relax while cooking)

You’re going to need:

  • 500 g. minced meat (ideally pork);
  • 300 g. large pasta shells (or tube pasta but I found the shells looking really cute);
  • 400 canned peeled tomatoes;
  • 2 large onions;
  • 3 cloves of garlic;
  • Shredded cheese (honestly the amount depends on your preference but in this case I used just a few handfuls);
  • Dried basil;
  • Paprika spices (I used a mix of sweet and hot);
  • Salt;
  • Pepper.
  • Chicken/vegetable broth or tomato juice with pulp (honestly, for me personally the tomato juice is a waaay better choice and makes a huge difference when making this).

As always the important part is not to use too many strong spices or go exactly by the recipe if it is too mild or too spicy. Use what your stomach can handle. You’re the one who knows best how your body will react to some spices so be careful.

Also what everyone has to take into account when trying a new recipe is the added cheese in a lot of them. If you’re lactose intolerant, fear not. This dish is just as delicious without cheese as it is with it. Cheese here is fully optional and you decide on how much top use. Personally, I really liked the option with just a light sprinkling of cheese and the version without it altogether. The dish is lighter and feels more refreshing without compromising you being full after eating.

All right. Onwards with preparations.

  • Peel and finely dice the onions, fry them in a pan on olive oil until they become a light golden colour. Add chopped garlic and fry for another minute while mixing occasionally on a medium heat.
  • Add minced meat and lightly fry it until most of the juices evaporate (don’t forget to break the meat into small bits to avoid large clumps. We don’t want meatballs to stuff the shells). Add the spices to your taste and give it a good stir.
  • While the meat is cooking, boil the pasta shells according to the instructions on the packet. (Boil them accordingly to their size. You don’t want them to be too hard but don’t over boil it either until they become a mush. They still have to be firm and hold shape).
  • IMPORTANT: when the pasta shells are done, drain them and rinse under ice water to prevent from sticking. If needed, separate them individually as they might have gotten a bit stuck while boiling.
  • Dice the canned tomatoes and pour them and the juices evenly into the baking pan. Arrange the boiled pasta shells on top and fill them with the meat filling.
  • If there is not enough liquid in the pan, pour tomato juice on top so that the pasta shells are almost submerged in it. (This is where an alternative was chosen. The original recipe called for vegetable or chicken broth).
  • Bake them in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for another 2-3 minutes.

What I loved about this recipe is that it feels refreshing when you use tomato juice as a liquid to bake the pasta in. It gives them that lovely vegetable taste without being overwhelming. It is possible as I mentioned to use broth instead of juice if you wan to have a heavier flavour. However, if you want to avoid using broth, whether it was store bought or homemade, it has a ton of spices as well and might throw off the original flavour. Therefore if you feel like doing some taste test, feel free to try it both ways and chose your favourite.

Happy cooking,

Munching Bookworm