Sour Cream Pasta Bake

Afternoon! After a few people telling me that they were unable to comment on my posts, I’ve managed to sort it out, so it should be working for everyone now! 🙂 No idea what had happened, I hadn’t changed anything, guess it’s just one of those things that people who repel technology like me just don’t understand…

I’ve also started photoshop-ing all of my photos as they often come out too dark. As I’ve gone through I’ve found some that are out of focus, I really must start taking more than one photo, but as I’ve already made (and eaten) the recipe there’s not much I can do about those ones, just in future I shall make sure they’re in focus! I’ve just lightened and sharpened most of my photos.

I’ve also been hunting around eBay for some fabric scraps so that I have some sort of background to some of my photos and I will be looking for props over the next few weeks. I’ve just been so overwhelmed with how fabulous some people’s photography is on blogs that I read and I know that I need to put more effort in. The food is the most important part for me and I’m not a photographer, but I try my best at everything I do so I will be trying to have better photos as my boyfriend is also letting me use his Digital SLR from now on…

Actually that camera is not my friend at the moment. We were cooking last night, a new recipe for the blog, I was snapping away, really pleased with my pictures, then an error flashed up, it turned itself off and when I turned it back on all the photos I’d just taken were gone. Major sad face.

Once the camera is sorted though, I’m going to get to work practising and taking loads of pictures to get the hang of it 🙂

Onto today’s recipe. Sour Cream Pasta Bake. It was the first time I’d made this and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I loved it and so did my other half so I’ll definitely be making it again! 🙂

You will need:

> 2 large saucepans/a wok
> Roasting dish about 25cm x 20cm
> Small mixing bowl

Print

Serves 2

Ingredients:

> 1tbsp olive oil
> 300g minced beef (this worked perfectly for my dish, you can change amount if you think more appropriate to serve 2)
> 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
> salt & pepper to taste
> 1 onion, sliced thinly
> 200g pasta
> 1/2 cup soft cheese (we used philly)
> 1/4 cup sour cream
> Grated cheese for the topping (as much or as little as you like, we love really strong cheese so I put quite a bit on!)

Method:

> Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and chop the onion thinly. Place a large saucepan of salted water on the hob and bring to the boil for the pasta.
> Whilst the water is heating up, heat the oil up in a wok or large frying pan on a medium heat. My boyfriend is Chinese and we use a wok for everything… no kidding.
> Once the oil is hot add in the mince and brown it off.
> When the mince is nice and brown add in the chopped tomatoes and season to taste. Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down to simmer.

> Ensure the mince is cooked through and then turn the heat off and leave to one side.
> Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
> Whilst the pasta is cooking, place the philly and sour cream in a mixing bowl and stir together. Season to taste. Grate some cheese for the topping.
> Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water and in the pan you cooked the pasta in place the onions and fry them off slightly, add in the philly and sour cream mix then add the pasta in and coat everything. Ensure the onions are cooked and then take it off the heat.
> Place half the pasta mixture in the bottom of your roasting dish.

> Place half of the mince on top of the pasta.
> Place the remainder of the pasta on top of the mince, then the rest of the mince on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with grated cheese.