Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, 2 left whole for roasting, 2 minced
• 4 large red peppers, halved, deseeded
• 80 g sun-dried tomatoes, drained if in oil, roughly chopped
• 150 g baby spinach
• salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 0.5 tsp chilli flakes
• 100 g raw cashews, soaked in cold water for 1 hour, drained
• 150 ml water
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 400 g rigatoni
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• fresh basil, to serve
• ciabatta, to serve
• crisp green salad, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan. Arrange the halved red peppers cut-side down on a baking tray with the 2 whole garlic cloves. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and roast for 25–30 minutes until the pepper skins are charred and blistered. Transfer to a bowl, cover with cling film, and leave for 10 minutes, then peel and discard the skins.
2. While the peppers roast, tip the red lentils into a small saucepan with 250ml of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 18–20 minutes until completely soft and collapsing. Drain off any excess water and set aside.
3. Blend the drained cashews with the 200ml water, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice in a high-speed blender until completely smooth.
4. Cook the rigatoni in well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions — it will finish in the oven. Reserve 200ml of pasta water before draining.
5. In a large ovenproof pan, heat the remaining olive oil over a medium heat. Fry the diced onion for 6 minutes until soft and translucent, then add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, oregano, and chilli flakes and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
6. Add the peeled roasted peppers, roasted garlic, and the cooked lentils to the blender with the cashew cream and blend until completely smooth and silky. Pour this sauce into the pan with the onion mixture, add the sun-dried tomatoes, and stir well. Loosen with 100ml of reserved pasta water, then season generously with salt and pepper.
7. Add the drained rigatoni and the baby spinach to the sauce and fold through gently, adding more pasta water if needed so every piece of pasta is well coated. Transfer everything to a large baking dish.
8. Bake uncovered at 200°C fan for 18–20 minutes until bubbling at the edges and lightly golden on top. Scatter with fresh basil before serving.