Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 500 g lamb mince / ground lamb (I used 10 % fat)
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 1 red pepper (chopped)
  • 400 g chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1.5 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp garlic puree
  • salt and pepper (to season)
  • 250 g pasta tubes (I used rigatoni)
  • 30 g butter
  • 30 g plain flour
  • 350 ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 70 g mature cheddar (grated)
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • salt and pepper (to season)

Instruction

  • Fry the lamb mince in the olive oil in a pan or wok.
  • Once browned, remove from the heat and add the onion, red pepper, tin of tomatoes, tomato puree, cinnamon, oregano and garlic puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Place half the meat sauce in the base of the slow cooker pot.
  • Add half the rigatoni in a layer on top of the meat sauce.
  • Put the rest of the meat sauce on top.
  • Add the rest of the rigatoni on top of the second layer of lamb sauce.
  • Make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour, cook the roux for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk little by little, whisking well after each addition. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until thick.
  • Season the béchamel sauce with salt and pepper and add the nutmeg.
  • Pour the white sauce over the pasta and meat sauce layers in the slow cooker pot, ensuring all the pasta is covered.
  • Top with the grated cheese.
  • Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours.
  • If you have time, leave the dish to stand in the slow cooker for 30 minutes before serving so that it stays together better.
  • Serve by slicing through all the layers with a serrated knife then using a large spatula to serve out portions.