Cheesy gnocchi bolognaise

Cheap and cheerful family food so often includes minced beef. It's certainly popular in this household. From the home cook's point of view it's a versatile ingredient and can take a meal in many different directions. It's also a popular option for children, though there's hardly a meat my children don't enjoy, one of the favourites surely must be minced beef or perhaps lamb for it's sweetness. In any case, it was a beefy iron hit I was going for tonight. In the last year or so, this recipe has popped up every couple of months. It's not unfamiliar really, a meat sauce, a cheesy topping, the twist is in using gnocchi above the beef and below the cheese. A simple bake and once you have the basic recipe of course, you can mess about with it as you like. I nearly double the quantity of gnocchi and increase the mince to 1kg ensure leftovers, I add a bit of mozzarella because my children love 'cheese flavoured chewing gum'. I tend to go my own way a little on the meat too, more veg (celery, grated carrot at least, and often mushrooms too), and I use a 700g jar of tomato passata and a pinch of sugar in place of the pasta sauce, though the pasta sauce option is a handy standby if time is short. This originally comes from Taste.com.

Cheesy gnocchi bolognaise

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
750g lean beef mince
600ml bottle Italian tomato pasta sauce
625g packet fresh gnocchi
150g Tasmanian Heritage St Claire Swiss-style cheese, grated


Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Increase heat to medium-high. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 5 minutes or until browned.

Add pasta sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 3 minutes or until partially cooked (it will finish cooking as it bakes). Drain. Spoon bolognaise into a 6cm deep, 24cm x 30cm (base) baking dish (though I use larger as I have increased the recipe). Top with gnocchi. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce bubbling at edges.

Serves 6 with a side of salad or green vegetables

Meat, cheese and gnocchi, all's right with the world!