Saving the World One Bowl of Pasta at a Time, or Rigatoni with Chicken and Pepper Ragu

Eating ethically or sustainably is a growing concern. Many of us are acknowledging is that we eat too much meat - for our own good, as well as that of the planet (vegetarians, feel free to add sarcastic remarks about how the animals feel...). But meat ain't meat, to paraphrase an old Australian TV commercial. The choices we make among meats have different implications.

One obvious case is that chicken involves a much smaller production of greenhouse gases than beef. Many of us could shift the balance of meat consumption from beef to chicken, as well as using less meat overall. Yet I suspect many of us would keep buying beef in its least impressive and expensive forms, as ground or minced beef for dishes like pasta or moussaka. Minced chicken (or turkey in the US - not as common or cheap here) is ok but a relatively bland option, and can make us feel as though we're trying too hard to be economical or virtuous or.... Eating sustainably is going to have to be enjoyable too.

The recipe following is, to my mind, successful in bringing out what minced chicken can do without quite pretending to be beef. There are two keys to this I think: one is the browning process with its flavour-enhancing "maillard reactions", and the other is the complementary flavour of peppers enhanced by relatively long slow cooking. I have also "cheated" by adding a small amount of Italian sausage, but this is in keeping with emphasizing healthy or sustainable elements, while using others minimally but judiciously, to good effect. The recipe can survive without it anyway, if you prefer.

RECIPE
500 g rigatoni, casarecce or similar short pasta
500 g minced chicken
1 small italian sausage (c.100g), skinned, or 1 rasher of bacon, diced (optional)
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 Tsp capsicum/pepper paste (such as Turkish 'Biber salçasi'), or tomato paste
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tomatoes, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
Pecorino Romano cheese to serve.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium flame, add olive oil and then chicken mince, combined with sausage or bacon if using. Cook until brown, turning meat occasionally and breaking up larger lumps. Remove meat and return pan to heat, adding more olive oil if necessary. When warmed, add onion and peppers and sauté. When softened, add garlic and tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are softened, then add pepper or tomato paste, 1/2 cup of water and stir. Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, adding more water if necessary to prevent sticking.

Return chicken to pan with oregano and stir to combine. Cook for a further 15 minutes (meanwhile heat a large pan of water for pasta). The sauce should be thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pasta in plenty of boiling water, with some salt, until just short of al dente, then drain and add the sauce to the pasta and stir to combine. If necessary add a few tablespoons of water. Allow to cook for two more minutes over low heat. Serve in a large bowl with pecorino scattered over.