There are few things more comforting than a bubbling dish of pasta coming out of the oven, and this Penne Pasta Bake was born at precisely the right moment.

I created it during the COVID lockdown in Byron Bay, when our days became wonderfully simple: early starts, exercise, swimming across the Bay, then back home to cook, eat and bunker down. For those first few weeks, there seemed to be pasta everywhere I looked — and I was very happy to put it to good use.

This is hearty, unfussy home cooking at its best. Penne is tossed through a rich, slow-cooked beef and tomato sauce, then finished with Parmesan and baked until the edges are golden, crunchy and irresistible.

It is the sort of meal that feeds a crowd without fuss, makes excellent leftovers and is equally welcome around a family dinner table or eaten straight from the fridge the next day. During uncertain times, comfort can be found in the simplest things — and a good pasta bake certainly qualifies.

From lockdown to the permanent repertoire

This recipe was first published in April 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdown. It was a time when home cooking became both a necessity and a ritual, and pantry staples suddenly took on new importance.

Pasta was particularly prominent — inexpensive, versatile and wonderfully comforting. This bake was my answer to the mountain of penne in the cupboard: turn it into something generous, savoury and satisfying, with a deeply flavoured tomato and beef sauce and a golden Parmesan crust.

Thankfully, this one proved too good to leave in lockdown. There is so much comfort to be found in pasta bakes, like this crunchy penne or the lasagne.

Penne pasta bake

Recipe by Samantha Gowing

• Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
• YieldServes 6-8 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x3x

1 tbsp olive oil 1 brown onion, peeled, finely sliced 4 cloves garlic, peeled, finely sliced 1 kg lean beef mince 500ml tomato sugo or passata 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 cup red wine 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs thyme or oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander Salt and pepper 500 grams penne pasta olive oil or melted butter for greasing 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

1. In a large skillet heat oil, add onion and grail and sauté until transparent.
2. Add beef mince and cook stirring for 7-10 mins until the meat is browned all over.
3. Stir in sugo, tomato paste, then pour in the red wine.
4. Add bay leaves, thyme or oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander
5. Reduce heat, season with salt and pepper, simmer for 40 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water according to packet instructions. Drain and pat dry.
7. Preheat oven to 200°C.
8. Grease an ovenproof dish with a little oil or melted butter.
9. Spoon cooked penne in dish. Spoon over sauce, mix well.
10. Sprinkle with grated parmesan and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and a little crunchy on top.
11. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

This is nourishing comfort food built around a good source of protein from lean beef, carbohydrates for energy and tomatoes, onion and garlic for additional plant compounds and flavour.

Using lean beef keeps the dish satisfying without making it unnecessarily heavy. Serve it with a generous green salad, steamed greens or seasonal vegetables for added fibre and plant diversity.

For a lighter, more plant-forward version, you could replace some or all of the beef with lentils, mu

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• Prep Time: 50 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Pasta
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Modern Australian

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