Baked Mexican Meaty Penne

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The dish is a tasty marriage of Italian and Mexican cuisines. Despite its reputation for heat, Mexican cuisine offers a diverse palette of flavors and uses many spices, not all of which are fiery. Subtle flavors like this can be found in a wide variety of meals. Pasta is the Italians' traditional noodle, which sets it apart from other types of noodles around the world. However, when you combine the rich variety of Mexican spices and flavors with the refined simplicity of Italian dishes, you get the best of both worlds.

My son specifically requested this combination because they are his two favorite foods. He finds great joy in the combination of the heat of Mexican fare like tacos and burritos with the comforting softness of pasta.

If you're looking to satiate your appetites for Mexican and Italian food, this recipe is the perfect combination of the two cultures...Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup onions, chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

500gms ground beef

(2) 28 grams Taco Original Seasoning Mix (El Paso), dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

1/2 cup water or chicken stock

1 1/2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 lb (454 gm) Penne, cooked according to package directions

For the Cheese Sauce:

2 1/2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups whole milk, warmed

2 egg yolks

1 cup quick melting cheese, grated (of your preference)

salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Let's Cook!

1. Heat oil in medium skillet. Sauté onions until translucent. Add green bell pepper and saute until tender. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.

2. Add ground beef and cook until meat turns brown (8-10 mins). Remove excess oil. Pour in dissolved taco seasoning, mix and cook until mix is absorbed by the meat.

3. Add tomato sauce and water or stock. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add cilantro and season with sugar to taste.

4. Make the cheese sauce: In a sauce pan, melt butter. Add flour and cook for a minute to make a roux. Whisk in milk. Continue whisking until sauce is smooth and thick. Over low heat, add egg yolks and whisk vigorously. Add 1 cup quick melting cheese and whisk until cheese melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper and nutmeg.

5. In a 9x13 inch heatproof dish, mix together cooked Penne and meat sauce. Pour cheese on top and spread evenly. Top with grated Parmesan. Broil in the oven at 375F for about 8-10 minutes or cheese on top is slightly golden.

6. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve and enjoy!