Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients

800g minced beef
1 leek finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 stalks of celery finely chopped
½ cup pear or choko chutney (pages 35, 49)
½ cup homemade stock
4 tblsp milk free margarine
1/3 cup plain flour
2-3 cups milk
1 egg
250 g plain pasta spirals, macaroni or penne pasta

Method:

Preheat the oven to 1800C.
Grease a cooking pan with dimensions roughly 30cm x 20cm

Preparing the pasta

• Boil a large pot of water on the stove for the pasta
• When the water is boiling add the pasta and cook for 15-20 minutes (see manufacturer directions) or until you feel it is ready
• Strain the pasta when cooked
Preparing the meat
• Brown the mince in a large saucepan with the garlic and leek
• Add the celery, stock and chutney
• Simmer until the celery is soft and the meat is cooked through (salt to taste)

Preparing the white sauce

• In a small pot on the stove melt the margarine
• Add the flour and stir until combined
• Cook for a further 30 seconds before adding the milk
• Add a small amount of milk (~1/4 cup) and mix together. Keep adding small amounts of milk and stirring to combine this before adding the next milk. Stop adding milk if you think the sauce is getting too thin

Putting it together

• In a large mixing bowl place the mince mixture, pasta and HALF the white sauce
• Mix until well combined and place mixture in the cooking pan
• Add the egg to the rest of the white sauce and beat it in well
• Spread this mixture over the top of the pasta bake
• Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until topping is lightly golden