This almost tastes like the makings of a really good cheeseburger but without the gherkins! 

 

It has lots of  different types of cheese, a good protein hit and is really comforting to eat. It is also gluten free as I have substituted the standard penne for chickpea penne which is a little firmer and holds together well with cooking.

 

Like with all of my recipes, adapt them to suit your own preferences and dietary choices. 

Ingredients: 1 Green Pepper, 1 White Onion, 3 Large cloves of Garlic, 250g Chestnut Mushrooms, 50g Salted Butter, 500g Good Quality Ground Beef Mince, 1/4 tsp Good Quality Salt (I use Celtic Grey Salt), Ground Black Pepper to season, 1 tsp Smoked Paprika, 1/2 tsp Onion Salt, 1/2 tsp Garlic Granules, 250g bag of Chickpea Penne, 50g Full fat Cream Cheese, 1/3 cup of Full fat Greek Yoghurt, x1 125g Drained Ball of Full Fat Mozzarella, 50g grated Double Gloucester Cheese, 2 tsp Fresh Chopped Coriander, 1/2 a cup of the pasta cooking water.

 

Tips: Use full fat cheeses. You don't eat this much cheese in one sitting every day, so enjoy the full fat stuff, which hasn't been heavily processed (which strips a lot of the good stuff anyway!). Fat is not the enemy. We need it. Enjoy the whole product and the difference in the food speaks for itself. 

 

Try and get real Greek strained yoghurt if you can rather than Greek style yoghurt. It is even more creamy and makes a big difference to the end result.

 

Add chilli if you like a kick. We kept it out as the kids were eating with us but 1tsp of chilli would add a little extra something.

 

Mix up the pasta to suit. This one is lovely but if you have standard penne that is fine too. Use what you have. 

 

 

Method: Add diced onion, diced green pepper, crushed garlic and sliced mushrooms to a pan with butter, salt and black pepper. You can add a little water too if needed.

 

Cook on a medium heat until the onions are soft (about 5 plus minutes).

 

Make a space in the centre of the pan pushing it all to the sides and place the minced beef in the centre. Move it around and break it up until it is cooked through and evenly distributed between all the other ingredients. (Another 5 plus minutes.)

 

 

Add paprika, onion salt and garlic granules and mix in. 

Cook for a few more minutes. 

 

I turn off the pan whilst I cook the pasta.

 

Put on your pasta to cook in a separate pan. Save a little of the cooking water. 

 

Once the pasta is cooked, turn back on your meat pan and add the Cream Cheese, Greek Yoghurt, Mozzarella, Double Gloucester, chopped Coriander and your saved cooking water. 

 

Mix everything together on a medium heat and let the mozzarella go stringy.

 

 

 

Use any cheese, herbs and spices to suit your own tastes. 

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