Lentil and Vegetable Pasta Bake

• 4 tbspolive oil
• 1large onion, finely chopped
• 2carrots, coarsely grated
• 2courgettes, coarsely grated
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tspdried oregano
• 2 tbsptomato puree
• 200gred lentils, rinsed
• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 800mlvegetable stock
• 500gpenne or any short pasta
• 150gfrozen peas
• 1 x 125gball mozzarella, drained and torn
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 2little gem lettuces, leaves separated
• 1 tbspred wine vinegar

Method

1. 1Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in your largest saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and courgettes with a teaspoon of salt and cook for 6 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables have collapsed and the pan is almost dry.
2. 2Stir in the garlic, oregano and tomato puree for 1 minute until the puree darkens. Add the lentils, tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then so the lentils do not catch, until they are soft and the sauce is thick.
3. 3Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan). Pour 500ml boiling water from the kettle into the sauce, stir in the penne and a teaspoon of salt and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring often, until the pasta is just short of tender and the sauce coats it. Stir in the peas. It will look loose; the penne drinks the rest in the oven.
4. 4Taste and season with salt and plenty of pepper; lentils soak up a lot of seasoning. Tip everything into a large baking dish, roughly 30 x 25cm, and level the top.
5. 5Scatter over the torn mozzarella. Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the edges are bubbling and browned.
6. 6While it bakes, toss the lettuce leaves with the red wine vinegar, the last tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Let the bake stand for 2 minutes until it is firm enough to cut cleanly, then serve with the salad.

Per serving

kcal

660

protein

29.8g

fibre

12.3g

carbs

101.1g

fat

15.2g