Mary Berry's pasta bake recipe that 'whole family loves' is 'easy to make'

Family dinners need to be straightforward to prepare, bursting with flavour and shouldn't demand hours in the kitchen. Traybakes are perfect for those busy weeknight evenings when you want a tasty meal served without fuss. Mary Berry boasts numerous recipes, though one stands out as being simple and "delicious" for the entire family.

Her Bolognese bake is prepared in a single dish, which cuts down on washing-up time. Home cooks who have attempted it have said it delivers a "lovely" meal that results in "clean plates all round". Happy Foodie described the recipe: "This all-in-one pasta bolognese bake from Mary Berry's BBC2 series Simple Comforts is packed with flavour and can be assembled up to six hours in advance."

Mary's own description states: "This is a bolognese pasta that can be assembled ahead in one dish, ready to pop in the oven. Frying the mushrooms ensures they keep firm and flavoursome, not soft and soggy."

The bake can be frozen prior to cooking and can be prepared ready to cook up to six hours beforehand. After trying the recipe, one home cook commented: "This recipe was so very tasty and had plenty of flavour too.

My whole family loved it." Another remarked: "A simple recipe to follow, delicious dinner, never fails, highly recommend." A third person noted: "Easy to make, easy to cook, easy to follow recipe, lovely dish at the end."

A fourth person shared: "A delicious pasta bake. We love it. easy recipe & method.

Clean plates all round."

Ingredients

• One tbsp olive oil
• Two onions, chopped
• Two celery sticks, finely chopped
• 675g minced beef
• Two garlic cloves, crushed
• Two 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 350ml beef stock
• Two tsp Worcestershire sauce
• One tbsp redcurrant jelly
• A knob of butter
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• One tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 225g penne pasta
• 100g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Add in the onions and celery and cook over a high heat for approximately three minutes, until they begin to soften.
• Add the mince, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon until it is browned all over. Stir in the garlic and tomato purée for a few seconds. Pour in the tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce and redcurrant jelly. Combine thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.
• Place a lid on the pan and reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 to 35 minutes.
• In a separate frying pan, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and cook for a minute over a high heat. Cover with a lid and leave for two minutes, then remove the lid and continue frying for a further two minutes. Add the mushrooms and thyme into the mince mixture and stir well.
• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/Gas 3.
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water following the packet instructions. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water before stirring the pasta into the mince.
• Transfer everything into an ovenproof dish. Scatter the cheeses over the top and place in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling at the edges. Serve piping hot alongside a green or tomato salad.