Description
Mediterranean Pasta Bake is a flavorful vegetarian dish featuring roasted aubergine, courgette, and peppers combined with pasta and a rich tomato-based sauce, all topped with melted mature cheddar. Perfect for weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd, this bake offers a hearty and wholesome meal with delicious Mediterranean flavors.
Ingredients
For the Pasta Bake
- 1 aubergine
- 1 courgette
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 500g pasta
- 120g mature cheddar, grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Sauce
- 400g tinned tomatoes
- 150 ml vegetable stock
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark 5) to get ready for roasting the vegetables.
- Prepare the sauce: Chop the onion finely and soften it in a pan over medium heat with crushed garlic and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Once softened, stir in tomato puree, then add tinned tomatoes, oregano, and vegetable stock. Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer gently to thicken and develop flavor.
- Roast the vegetables: Chop aubergine, courgette, and yellow pepper into similar-sized chunks about 7-8 cm in size. Toss them in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until well coated. Spread them evenly on a large baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until softened and slightly caramelized, with aubergine nicely browned.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta for 3 minutes less than the package instructions indicate since it will cook further in the oven. Once al dente, drain and transfer to a large casserole dish.
- Combine ingredients: Remove roasted vegetables from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 190°C (170°C fan, gas mark 4). Add the roasted veggies to the pasta dish along with the prepared tomato sauce. Gently stir everything together to combine evenly.
- Add the cheese topping: Sprinkle the grated mature cheddar evenly over the top of the pasta and vegetable mixture.
- Bake the pasta: Place the casserole dish back into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to crisp on top.
Notes
- Chop vegetables into fairly large chunks of around 7-8 cm for the best roasting texture.
- Ensure aubergine is nicely browned to enhance flavor during roasting.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with a fresh salad and garlic bread on the side for a complete meal.
