Baked Ziti with Beef or Pork Mince

Ingredients

• 300 g Ziti or penneWheat allergen.
• 1 tablespoon Olive oil
• 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Small brown or white onion, finely chopped
• 500 g Beef or pork mince, or half of each
• 2 teaspoons Fennel seedsOptional in the source.
• 1 tablespoon Paprika, plain or sweet
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne, or ¾ teaspoon chilli flakes Cayenne pepper, or chilli flakes
• 2 teaspoons Onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper
• 700 g Tomato passata
• ½ cup Water
• 1 teaspoon of each Dried basil, dried oregano and sugar
• 1 cup RicottaOptional in the source. Milk allergen.
• 1 cup Mozzarella, gratedOr another melting cheese. Milk allergen.
• 1 cup Parmesan, freshly gratedOptional in the source. Milk allergen.
• To garnish; optional in the source. Parsley or basil, finely chopped

Yield: Serves 6, as stated by the source. Source times: 10 minutes preparation and 1 hour cooking. The source gives no resting time and no fridge-storage time for the baked dish, and none is invented here. Make-ahead, per the source: cool the drained pasta (tossed in a little oil) and the sauce separately and covered, assemble up to the cheese, then refrigerate or freeze; thaw a frozen dish in the fridge for 24 hours and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, 25 covered and 10 uncovered.

Method

1. Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet says, drain it and return it to its pot. It finishes softening in the oven.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C. The source gives this single Celsius figure without saying whether it means a fan or a conventional setting, and no second figure is invented here. The source names no shelf; a middle shelf is this project's ordinary default, not a source instruction.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat and cook the onion and garlic for 2 minutes, until the onion turns translucent.
4. Add the mince and cook it, breaking it up as you go, until no pink or red remains; Health Canada's threshold for ground meat is 71°C internal. Then stir in the fennel seeds, paprika, cayenne or chilli, onion powder, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes more.
5. Add the passata, water, basil, oregano and sugar and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Pour 2 cups of the sauce into the pasta pot and toss, then spread the pasta in a 23 × 33 cm baking dish. Dot the ricotta over it, pour over the rest of the sauce, and top with the mozzarella and parmesan.
7. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and golden. Garnish with the herbs if using.