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Kangaroo Pasta Bake

Prep 25 minutes

Time 1 hour

Serves 8

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What you'll need

1kg kangaroo mince
¼ cup olive oil
1 large brown onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
700ml bottle passata
¾ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
300g macaroni
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs

Cheese sauce
500ml milk
50g butter
¼ cup flour
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup grated Parmesan
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

 

How to cook it

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 2 x medium baking dishes.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick saucepan over a medium high heat. Brown kangaroo in batches to prevent mince stewing in pan (adding extra olive oil if required), setting aside for later.
  3. Heat remaining olive oil in same pan that you cooked kangaroo, over a low heat.
  4. Add onion, garlic and cinnamon to pan, stirring until well combined, cover and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is soft.
  5. Return kangaroo to pan, increasing heat to medium.
  6. Add tomato paste, passata, ½ cup parsley and zests, stirring to combine, cook for 15 minutes. Check seasoning and adjust accordingly.
  7. For béchamel sauce, place milk, butter and flour together in a medium saucepan over a medium heat and slowly bring up to a simmer, whisking continuously until sauce becomes smooth and thick. Reduce heat to low and cook sauce gently for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup cheddar, ½ cup parmesan and season with salt and pepper, stirring continuously until cheese has melted and is well combined. Remove from heat.
  8. Cook macaroni according to pack instructions and drain.
  9. For the topping, combine breadcrumbs, remaining parsley, parmesan and cheddar, stirring until combined.
  10. To assemble pasta bake, evenly divide macaroni across bottom of both baking dishes, followed by kangaroo Bolognese and finish with béchamel over the top. To finish sprinkle over the topping mixture. Place one dish of pasta bake in preheated oven and cook for 20-30 minutes or until top is golden. Allow the second dish to cool, cover in plastic wrap and freeze for another time.