Meatball, kale & mascarpone pasta bake

Name: Meatball, kale & mascarpone pasta bake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 300 g reduced fat British beef meatballs; 250 g frozen Cooks’ Ingredients Soffritto Mix; 3 rosemary sprigs, chopped, to give 1 tbsp; 100 ml red wine (see drink recommendation below); 2 400g cans chopped Italian tomatoes with olive oil and garlic; 1 tsp honey or sugar, to taste; 250 g Napolina Bronze Die Penne Rigate; 150 g Pentland Brig kale, torn from the stems and roughly chopped; 125 g mascarpone; 30 g parmigiano reggiano, finely grated, plus extra to serve

A warming Italian pasta bake that's just perfect for a winter evening.

5 out of 5 stars(3) Rate this recipe

Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook40 mins
Total time50 mins

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Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
300g reduced fat British beef meatballs
250g frozen Cooks’ Ingredients Soffritto Mix
3 rosemary sprigs, chopped, to give 1 tbsp
100ml red wine (see drink recommendation below)
2 400g cans chopped Italian tomatoes with olive oil and garlic
1 tsp honey or sugar, to taste
250g Napolina Bronze Die Penne Rigate
150g Pentland Brig kale, torn from the stems and roughly chopped
125g mascarpone
30g parmigiano reggiano, finely grated, plus extra to serve

Method

Heat 2 tsp oil in a wide pan. Add the meatballs and sizzle for 5 minutes until browned, then transfer to a plate. Add the remaining oil to the pan, followed by the soffritto mix and half the rosemary, plus a little seasoning; soften for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6.
Pour in the wine, let it bubble and reduce a little, then tip in the tomatoes and honey. Simmer for 10 minutes, drop in the meatballs and take off the heat. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and boil for 12 minutes, piling the kale on top for the final 2 minutes.
Drain the pasta and kale, reserving 3 tbsp cooking water, then tip into a medium baking dish. Pour over the meatballs and sauce; toss gently together with the reserved cooking water. Dot the mascarpone across the top, scatter with the parmigiano reggiano and remaining rosemary, then bake for 10 minutes until golden. Serve with extra cheese, if liked.

Cook’s tip

To make this vegetarian, replace the meatballs with 200g ready-cooked chestnuts (chop and add with the soffritto), stir 250g puy lentils into the tomato sauce and use a vegetarian hard cheese instead of parmesan.