500g ground meat of choice (beef, turkey, or veggie quorn)
1 cup chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped into small pieces
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon each of rosemary, paprika and chilli flakes
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ cup capers
¼ cup black olives, pips removed
1 can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 cups bone or veggie broth
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup creme fraiche or natural yogurt
Butter, rapeseed, avocado or olive oil, for cooking
Crispy Kale
1 bunch of kale (I used tuscan kale, but curly would also work), leaves torn and stems discarded
½ tablespoon rapeseed or avocado oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Sprinkling of salt and pepper
To Serve
450g (15.6 ounces) macaroni, cooked according to packaging instructions
Shaving of parmesan or Manchego cheese
Instructions
Start by heating a glug of oil in a large saucepan. When hot, add your onions, mince, mushrooms and spices. Give a quick stir and let brown, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye not to burn. Remove onto a plate and return the pan to the heat.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil along with all remaining ingredients, except creme fraîche. Bring to a simmer and then, using an immersion blender, blend until creamy.
Return meat to the saucepan and mix with the sauce. Let simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, letting the flavour really develop.
Once sauce is almost done, make the crispy kale by tossing all the ingredients together in a tray and baking in a preheated oven at 175ºC / 350ºF for 10 minutes or until crisp but not burnt.
To serve, stir creme fraiche through the sauce and toss with the pasta, serve with grated cheese cheese and kale on the side to be sprinkled over the pasta
Notes
The mince stores well, so you can keep in the fridge to enjoy leftovers or freeze for rainy days.
VEGAN: use a walnut or quorn mince, or even sub for beans. Omit creme fraiche.