Italian Beef Casserole

Budget-conscious ground beef stars in this easy dinner casserole with an authentic Italian flavor that the whole family will enjoy. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 bacon rashers, rind removed and diced
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stick, diced
1 pound (500 g) ground beef (minced)
10 ounce (300 g) can condensed tomato soup
13 1/2 ounce (425 g) can tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper
8 ounces (250 g) noodles
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion, garlic and bacon and fry until the onion is softened. Add the carrots and celery and continue frying for 3 minutes. Stir in the beef and brown well, then add the soup, tomatoes, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Cook gently for about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well. Add the noodles to the beef mixture and fold together, then turn into a casserole. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cook in a preheated moderate oven, 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). for 30 minutes.