This lovely dish would easily become a favourite to most after one bite!  The maltese certainly have kept this little traditional pie to themselves, and, I’m all for sharing this beautiful dish.

My pasta pie has steered a little bit from the original to cater for a lower calorie and vegetarian version.   The traditional meal has chicken livers and a pastry on the top and bottom.  I feel you get the same result with pastry for the lid!

Serves:

• 12

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp garlic mince
• 1/2 tsp hot chilli paste
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 5 vegetarian reashers, diced
• 300 grams vegetarian mince (or TVP)
• 4 tbs tomato paste
• 200 grams tomato passata
• 1 tab chicken style vegetarian stock
• 500 mls water
• salt
• pepper
• 50 grams mozzarella, diced thin
• 4 tbs Kraft Cheese pourover
• 2 sheets filo pastry
• 2 tbs milk
• 500 grams dry rigatone

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C or 360 F.
2. In a pan, mix the garlic, onions, tomato paste, passata, stock and water simmering for five minutes.
3. Mix in the bacon and mince and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
4. Once thic
5. Mix in the parsley.
6. Combine the cornflour with a teaspoon of water, pouring into your mixture, allowing to thicken.
7. Add your pasta and mix thoroughly.
8. In a oven-proof bowl, add half the mixture and layer half the mozzarella on top, sprinkling with 1 tsp of breadcrumbs.
9. Place the rest on top and repeat the mozzarella and breadcrumbs.
10. Place in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown before serving.