Mon, 15 May 2017
Monday 15th May is International Families Day, so Aileen Cox Blundell made up her Family-friendly dinner of Vegetable Pasta to ensure your whole family is getting their 5-a-day.
Super Family Vegetable Pasta
What goes in...
Pasta
Water to cook (about litres)
400g Pasta Shells (I use Macaroni for smaller little ones)
2 roasted red peppers cut into spears
Sauce
2 Tablespoons Rapeseed/Olive Oil
1 Red Onion Finely Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic Crushed
1 Courgette Roughly Chopped
1 Tin Tomatoes (400ml)
3 tablespoons unsalted tomato puree
2 large handfuls fresh baby leaf spinach
1 large handful fresh kale
8 Basil Leaves
100ml Milk of your choice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (optional)
To serve
1 small head of steamed broccoli
1 pack buffalo mozzarella
4 extra basil leaves
How to make it...
Pre-heat oven to 180ºC
In a large saucepan bring your water to the boil then add your pasta. Simmer for 12-15 minutes while you get to work on your sauce.
Cut your peppers in half and rub each side with a little rapeseed oil. Place in the oven and roast until soft. The skin side may blacken slightly but this is perfectly normal and rubs away when cooled.
To make the sauce - Heat the rapeseed oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for approx 8 minutes until it becomes sticky and sweet.
Add the garlic and courgette and cook for a further 10 minutes until the courgette is lovely and soft.
Add the tin of tomatoes and tomato puree then stir well and bring back to a bubble.
Add the spinach kale and basil leaves, stir well then take the pan off the heat and pour the sauce into a liquidiser. Blend until really smooth and silky.
Return to a very low heat then stir in the milk and apple cider vinegar (if using). Allow the sauce to heat up.
Meanwhile the pasta should be cooked, drain fully, then add to a large serving bowl, pour over the sauce and stir really well.
Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil, chop the roasted peppers and spread over the top along with the broccoli and then finally tear the mozzarella and extra basil and scatter over to serve.
