My Kids Favourite Pasta Meal.

Um Safia's Note:

Despite the fact that my two young children go through picky phases, they have decided that they both LOVE this pasta. DS especially can't get enough of the stuff & I am very happy as it's a healthy, filling meal suitable for all the family. I use the wholewheat tiny pasta shells (sold as conchigliette) but you can use any small pasta really. We like to serve this with a green salad & crusty bread! This is also a nice dish to pulse in the blender for older babies.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 ½ cups ground chicken
• 2 cups wholewheat conchigliette pasta , uncooked
• 500 ml water
• 400 g canned tomatoes , liquidized with own juice
• ¼ cup cheddar cheese , grated (sharp)
• 1 large brown onion , finely diced
• 1 small red bell pepper , finely diced
• 1 medium courgette , grated
• 1 medium carrot , grated
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 4 garlic cloves , minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon schwartz Season-All salt
• 1 teaspoon scwartz italian seasoning
• 2 -3 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Gently fry the onion & the chicken in a medium sized pan over a medium heat. After 10 minutes, add the rest of the chopped / grated veggies & the seasoning, fry for a further 15 minutes.
2. After 15 minutes, add the liquidized tomato , miced garlic & the water. Cover & simmer gently for 45 minutes.
3. After 45 minutes, remove the lid, turn up the heat & reduce the sauce until it is nice & thick.
4. Whilst the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until soft.
5. When you have a thick sauce, remove from the heat & stir in the cheese & the basil. Mix well then stir in the pasta. Cover & allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, this way the pasta is the right temperature for the family to eat & the pasta will have taken on the flavours of the sauce.
6. Serve the kids first, then adjust the seasoning for adults if required.