Mary Berry's bolognese pasta bake is the best hearty recipe to warm you up this autumn

Bolognese is one of Britain's most-cooked dinners, but Mary Berry has a delicious twist on this beloved dish to make it even tastier.

Mary Berry has tuned bolognese into a simple pasta bake that can be made up to six hours in advance before it goes in the oven and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.

In her cookbook 'Simple Comforts', Mary said: "This is a bolognese pasta that can be assembled ahead in one dish, ready to pop in the oven. Frying the mushrooms ensures they keep firm and flavoursome, not soft and soggy."

This is the perfect recipe to make on a cold autumn evening when you are craving some classic comfort food as it is both hearty and packed with flavour.

To make this incredible dinner you will need a deep frying pan, a smaller frying pan to cook the mushrooms and an ovenproof dish.

How to make Mary Berry's bolognese pasta bake Ingredients

• 675g of minced beef
• 350ml of beef stock
• 250g of chestnut mushrooms (sliced)
• 225g of penne pasta
• 100g of mature cheddar cheese (grated)
• 50g of parmesan cheese (grated)
• Two garlic cloves (crushed)
• Two celery sticks (chopped)
• Two onions (chopped)
• Two (400g each) tins of chopped tomatoes
• Two tablespoons of tomato puree
• Two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• One tablespoon of red currant jelly
• One tablespoon of olive oil
• Thyme leaves (chopped)
• A knob of butter
• Salt and pepper
  

Method

To begin, place one tablespoon of olive oil in a deep frying pan, then add the onions and celery. Cook the onions and celery for three minutes on a high heat until they begin to soften.

Add the minced beef to the pan, brown it quickly, and also use a wooden spoon to break up the meat.

Add the garlic and tomato puree to the pan and give the mixture a good stir.

Next, add in the tomatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and redcurrant jelly. Stir everything together and season with salt and pepper.

Place a lid on the pan, reduce the heat to a low simmer and leave to cook for 30 to 35 minutes.

Once the time is up, melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the mushrooms and cook them on a high heat for one minute.

Place a lid on the pan and cook for two minutes to draw out the liquid, then remove the lid and cook for two more minutes on a high heat to evaporate the liquid.

Add the mushrooms as well as the thyme to the minced mixture and stir well.

Preheat the oven to 160C (140C Fan or Gas Mark 3). As the oven is heating up cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water and follow the packet instructions for how long it will take.

Drain the pasta, run it under cold water and then stir the pasta into the sauce.

Spoon everything into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle on both grated cheeses and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Take out the oven once the bolognese bake is golden on top and your tasty pasta is now ready to serve.