Recipe: Perfect Veggie Pasta Bake

Veggie Pasta Bake.

You can cook Veggie Pasta Bake using 24 ingredients and 11 steps. Here is how you achieve that.

Ingredients of Veggie Pasta Bake

1. You need 750 g of Penna Pasta.
2. It's of Olive oil (max 3 tablespoons only), plus extra for drizzling.
3. You need of Salt.
4. It's of Sauce.
5. Prepare 2 cans of plum tomatoes (400g each).
6. You need 1 jar of pasta bolognese sauce (500g).
7. It's 1/4 cup of water.
8. It's 1 tsp of Italian herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme).
9. It's 3 of Garlic cloves, finely chopped.
10. Prepare 3 of green chillies halved, lengthwise (medium spice level).
11. You need 1-1.5 tbsp of sugar.
12. It's of Fresh basil (leave some for garnish).
13. Prepare of VEGGIES + SAUSAGES (dry-fried/grilled & baked).
14. It's of Vegetarian sausages (I used Cauldron brand).
15. You need 1 of courgette/zuchinni, chopped round then into half moons.
16. Prepare 1 of Aubergine (medium-large), cut vertically- see pics below.
17. You need 1 pack of button mushrooms, washed and medium chopped.
18. Prepare 120 g of pack Spinach, washed.
19. You need 1 of large red onion.
20. Prepare 1 tsp of balsamic vinegar.
21. You need of Toppings.
22. Prepare of Fresh basil.
23. Prepare of Cheddar and mozarella, shredded/grated.
24. It's of Olive oil for drizzling.

Veggie Pasta Bake step by step

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius- for sausages and courgette later.
2. For the sauce. In a pan on medium heat, add 1 tbsp oil. Then add chopped garlic, 3 green chillies, halved. Cook until garlic is browned.
3. Turn up heat slightly. Add in 2 cans of plum tomatoes, 1 jar bolognese sauce, pinch of salt, italian herbs and fresh basil. Add 1/4 cup water. Mix all until sauce comes to a boil. Then lower heat, cover and let simmer over low-medium heat for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally..
4. Cook pasta as per pack instructions with 1 tbsp oil and salt. Drain when ready..
5. While pasta sauce is simmering for the next 25 mins, put sausages in pre-heated oven. Bake as per pack instructions (mine were 20 mins). Cut courgettes into half moons. Bake for 10 mins. (I put mine in the same baking pan as the sausages and just removed them earlier, allowing sausages to finish baking). Once baked, cut sausages. Set courgettes and sausages aside..
6. Cut your aubergine lengthwise. In a separate pan, on medium heat (NO OIL), place aubergine and allow to dry-fry for 7-10 mins on each side, turning occasionally, until they become slightly charred- see pic. Remove and set aside..
7. Slice red onion thinly. In same pan, on medium heat, add half tbsp oil and sliced red onions. When they start to wilt, add 1tsp balsamic vinegar (see pic). This will give them a sweet taste! Allow to caramelise slightly. Remove and set aside..
8. In same pan, cook your mushrooms until no longer watery. Set aside..
9. Pasta tomato sauce should be ready and reduced by now. Add 1tbsp sugar to balance the taste. Mix. Add drained pasta to sauce together with the courgettes, mushrooms, sausages. Mix all. Add spinach, cover for 2 mins to allow it to wilt. Uncover. Stir all for 1 min. Remove from heat..
10. Assemble! Grease your baking dish with a spray of olive oil. Pour the mixed pasta. Top with the caramelised red onions and charred aubergine. Finish with grated cheddar and mozarella all over. Add basil for garnish. See pic..
11. Drizzle the top lightly with olive oil. Bake at 200 degrees celsius for 15 mins, until golden. Enjoy and bon appetit!.

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