Ingredients
- 675g beef mince, at least 15 per cent fat
- 450g pork mince
- 90g tomato puree
- 70g harissa paste
- 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1tbsp ground cumin
- 1tbsp ground coriander
- 80ml olive oil
- 60g Parmesan, finely grated
- 60g Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 carrot, peeled, halved lengthways and sliced
- 1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 large plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 750ml chicken stock
- 100ml double cream
- 225g dried manicotti or cannelloni pasta, roughly chopped in half crossways
- 10g roughly chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
Step 1 Heat oven to 245 Celsius. Add the first seven ingredients to a large roasting tin about 38cm by 23cm in size, along with three tablespoons of oil, about two-thirds of the Parmesan and Pecorino Romano, 1¾ teaspoons of salt and plenty of pepper.
Step 2 Add the carrot, onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Add to the roasting tin and mix to combine. Transfer to the oven and bake until browned on top and sizzling – about 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 190 Celsius.
Step 3 Use a fork to break the meat apart thoroughly, stirring it into the liquid that has been produced. Pour the chicken stock and cream on top, then add the pasta. Stir the pasta into the sauce until thoroughly coated; you want to get all of the pasta wet so it doesn't burn. Push as much of the pasta under the surface of the sauce as possible. (You won't be able to submerge it all.)
Step 4 Bake until pasta is tender – about 25 minutes – stirring halfway through cooking.
Step 5 Remove from the oven, stir in the 10g of parsley, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and Pecorino Romano and drizzle with the remaining oil. Bake until the top is crisp in parts and beginning to brown – about eight minutes. Sprinkle with some additional parsley and let cool for 10 minutes, so the excess liquid soaks in, before serving. – New York Times
