This is a hearty but affordable weeknight meal that brings out smiles as you serve it. The strings of melted mozzarella that trail from each spoonful are just a hint of the comforting flavors to come.
Instructions
1
Boil the pasta and brown the beef
2
Cook the penne pasta in salted water until tender. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef for six to eight minutes over medium heat until it’s no longer pink. Break it into crumbles to encourage browning. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Drain any excess liquid and then stir in the tomato puree, beef broth, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
3
Simmer the ground beef
4
Bring the ground beef and sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. Add the spinach and cook for one to two minutes until the leaves have wilted and shrunk.
5
Combine the pasta and beef
6
Drain the pasta and stir it into the beef mixture. Sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese, cover and cook for three to four minutes until the cheese has melted. Editor’s Tip: Reserve some of the starchy water from the pasta to mix back in or add a knob of butter to stop the pasta from sticking.
