Ingredients - Serves 6

500g minced pork

1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons dried Mint

1 small onion - chopped

Handful fresh parsley - chopped

Salt and pepper.

1 large tin chopped tomatoes or passatta⁣

200g halloumi - grated fine

1 pint whole/semi milk plus a little extra just in case

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Approx 3-4 tablespoons plain flour (approx 50-60g)

100g butter

500g pasta (penne, shells,rigatoni or macaroni work best in place of the Pastichio pasta - see above)⁣

1 chicken or veg stock cube

2 bay leaves.⁣

Method

1 – Preheat oven to 200. Pop the kettle on to boil, once done fill one saucepan with the water and add a stock cube to the pan, once dissolved add the pasta to cook until al-dente

2 - Heat a large frying pan and add a little oil, saute the onions till they start to often and go translucent then add the pork mince. Break the mince up and stir every now and then till it starts to brown

3 - Once browned add the mint, cinnamon and chopped fresh parsley, followed by the tin of chopped tomatoes, stir well and set aside.

4 – Once the pasta is cooked drain it well, at this point you have 2 options

Option 1 - mix the pasta and the meat together and

pour into the bottom f the oven dish

Option 2 - Put half the pasta in the oven dish and then top with a layer of the meat sauce, then put the rest of the pasta on top in another layer. This is the traditional way, but as both taste the same, go with whatever you find easiest.

5 - Rinse out the pan that had the pasta in it (or get a clean one) and melt the butter completely

6 - With the heat on low stir in the flour a tablespoon at a time and keep stirring with the whisk so nothing sticks to the bottom, then pour in the milk, again stirring constantly so that there are no lumps formed, pop in the bay leaves, the ground nutmeg and a pinch of pepper, simmer on low for a minute or 2, adding more milk if the sauce gets too thick (you want the consistency of double cream)

7 - Add in 2/3 of the grated the halloumi and pepper - the key to a good smooth sauce is do not stop whisking.

8 - Pour this evenly on top of the pasta and top with the remaining grated halloumi

9 - Pop in the oven for 20 - 25 mins till its well browned on top and serve!

Recipe courtesy of Anna from her website: www.annaskitchentable.co.uk