Tomato & Mascarpone Pasta

• 3shallots, finely sliced
• 3garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsptomato puree
• 1 tspcaster sugar
• 200 mlhot vegetable stock
• 250 gmascarpone
• 50 gvegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated
• 450 grigatoni
• 120 gbaby spinach
• 15 gfresh basil, torn
• salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. 1Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil for the rigatoni. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-low heat and gently cook the shallots for about 6 minutes, until soft, translucent and just beginning to catch at the edges.
2. 2Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute, then tip in the chopped tomatoes, hot stock and sugar, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens and tastes sweet-savoury rather than sharp.
3. 3While the sauce simmers, drop the rigatoni into the boiling water and cook until al dente, following the packet timing. Scoop out a mugful of pasta water before draining.
4. 4Lower the heat under the sauce and beat in the mascarpone a spoonful at a time until the sauce looks silky and pale terracotta. Stir through 40 g of the vegetarian hard cheese, holding back 10 g for serving, then season boldly with salt and black pepper.
5. 5Tip the drained pasta into the sauce along with the baby spinach. Toss over a low heat, adding splashes of pasta water as needed, until the sauce clings to every rigatoni in a glossy coat and the spinach has wilted into soft green ribbons, about 1-2 minutes.
6. 6Divide between warm bowls and scatter with the torn basil and reserved 10 g vegetarian hard cheese.

Per serving

kcal

735

protein

20.7g

fibre

5.9g

carbs

81.7g

fat

36.2g