Cook the spelt pasta in salted water until al dente. Save a little of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and soften the onion briefly until translucent.
Add the beef mince to the pan and fry, breaking it up, until browned all over. Add the garlic and oregano and toast briefly.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and let everything cook down gently for a few minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Add the spelt pasta to the sauce and mix well. If needed, loosen with a little pasta water until the sauce coats the pasta nicely.
Divide between plates and serve with parmesan and fresh basil.
Good to know
This is the kind of meal I like to make on days when things need to be uncomplicated but still hearty. Savoury, full of tomato and just the sort of pan dish that comes together without much effort.
Swaps
Spelt pasta → wholemeal spelt pasta (more fibre) | Parmesan → pecorino made from sheep's milk (stronger flavour, a little more calcium) | Beef mince → grass-fed beef mince, if available (similar macros, quality varies with origin) | Olive oil → avocado oil (heat-stable, mainly monounsaturated fats)
Allergens
Contains gluten (spelt) and milk (parmesan). Good for children if the pepper and salt are kept mild; in pregnancy the dish is fine as long as the beef mince is cooked right through.
