📝 Ingredients (Serves 4)
250g (8–9 oz) bowtie (farfalle) pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
400g (14 oz) ground beef
Salt & pepper
3–4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 ½ cups milk (or half-and-half)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella (optional for extra creaminess)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning or dried parsley
Optional: red pepper flakes for a kick
Fresh parsley or extra cheese to garnish
🔥 Instructions
Cook pasta:
Boil bowtie pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
Cook beef:
In a large skillet, heat oil. Brown ground beef, breaking it up, and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Remove and set aside.
Make the sauce:
In the same skillet, add garlic and sauté ~30 sec. Sprinkle in flour and stir to cook off raw taste (~1 min).
Gradually whisk in milk and cook until it thickens slightly.
Cheese it up:
Stir in Parmesan (and mozzarella if using) until smooth and melty. If sauce is too thick, add a splash of pasta water.
Combine:
Add beef and cooked bowtie pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat everything in that creamy, cheesy goodness.
Serve:
Garnish with parsley, more cheese, and maybe a pinch of chili flakes. Dive in!
🍽️ Tips & Twists:
Add spinach or mushrooms for extra veggies.
Swap beef with sausage or ground turkey.
Leftovers? Even better the next day. 🙌