There comes a point in every cook's week when the fridge is nearly empty, it is quite late, and a fridge raid pasta bake is the only sensible answer. This was one of those evenings.

An onion that had started to sprout. One single shallot. A limp carrot hiding amongst a mound of onion skins in the vegetable drawer. Half an aubergine – just needed to slice off the dried end. The remains of a pack of passata. Some pork mince that needed using. Dried pasta and garlic are in the store cupboard. Bay leaf and parsley from the patio. And a mouldy piece of Parmesan was left over from the pre-festivities — perfectly serviceable once the blue bits were removed.

Baked pasta with pork mince and passata at Casa Adora.

Baked pasta with passata di pomodoro meat sauce sounds considerably better than leftovers. It is also, essentially, the same thing.

The principle is simple: make a quick meat sauce with whatever aromatics you have, cook the pasta until just under al dente, combine the two, top with Parmesan and bake until golden and slightly crisp at the edges. The specific vegetables are irrelevant — use what needs using. The pork mince can be beef, veal or lamb. The pasta shape doesn't matter. What matters is the principle.

Fridge Raid Pasta Bake – The Rough Recipe

(serves 1 generously)

• A handful of whatever aromatics need using — onion, shallot, carrot, aubergine, garlic
• 150–200g pork mince (or whatever mince you have)
• Half a pack of passata
• 1 bay leaf
• A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Dried pasta — enough for one
• Parmesan, grated — as much as you have left
• Olive oil, salt and black pepper

Method

Sauté the onion, shallot and carrot in olive oil until softened. Add the garlic and aubergine and cook for a few minutes more. Add the mince and brown it off. Add the passata, bay leaf and seasoning. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Cook the pasta until two minutes less than al dente. Drain and combine with the meat sauce. Transfer to an ovenproof dish, scatter generously with Parmesan and bake at 200°C for 15–20 minutes until golden and bubbling at the edges.

Eat immediately. Feel quietly pleased with yourself.

This recipe is part of my Pasta Recipes collection.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef