Pastitsio (Greek Spiced Beef and Pasta Bake)

Preheat oven to 375 deg F (190 deg C).

In a heavy-bottomed skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until deeply caramelized and fragrant.

Drain excess fat.

Stir in the cherry tomato passata, a generous pinch of ground cumin, and a dash of Aleppo pepper, allowing the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes until thickened and aromatic.

Meanwhile, prepare the couscous by steaming it with boiling water according to package instructions until light and fluffy.

In a small baking dish, layer the spiced beef ragu, followed by the couscous.

Arrange the asparagus spears neatly on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the asparagus is tender-crisp with charred tips.

Serve warm, garnished with a drizzle of champagne vinegar to cut through the richness of the beef.