This tasty, healthy, budget – friendly pasta dish proves that delicious food does not have to be full of calories or cost a fortune to put on the table. A rich beef and vegetable sauce mixed with rigatoni shapes and garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated low fat parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

500g 5% fat beef mince

Low calorie cooking spray

1 large red onion, finely sliced

1tsp lazy garlic

2 peppers, deseeded and sliced

200g chestnut mushrooms

400g tin chopped tomatoes

500g passata

1tbs tomato puree

Small bunch of fresh basil, reserving some leaves to serve

300g dried rigatoni

1tsp marmite

20g low fat parmesan cheese, grated

Method

Spray a large non – stick lidded pan with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Fry the mince beef until golden brown so there is no visible pink uncooked meat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook for a further 5 – 8 minutes until softened.

Add the peppers and mushrooms, reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and passata and increase the heat until the sauce is bubbling but not boiling, gently simmer for 5 minutes, then add the tomato puree and basil. Reduce the heat further and cook for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened.

Meanwhile cook the rigatoni according to the packet instructions, then drain. Add the marmite to the ragu, season and stir well.

Mix through the rigatoni, then divide between 4 bowls.

Sprinkle a quarter of the parmesan over each and top with the reserved basil leaves.