Veggie Pasta al Forno -

Pasta with melted cheese in a tomato sauce

Veggie Pasta al Forno

This easy pasta al forno recipe is perfect for a tasty weekend dinner. With a rich tomato lentil sauce and plenty of cheese this is sure to satisfy the whole family.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 879kcal

Author Michelle Alston

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium brown onion finely diced
1 medium carrot peeled and finely diced
1 stalk of celery finely diced
250 g / 3 cups of mushrooms (weight in cups is for whole mushrooms) wiped clean then sliced
2 level tsp dried oregano
½ level tsp dried parsley
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
3 cloves of garlic finely minced or put through a garlic press
1 teaspoon butter
550 g / 2⅓ cups of passata
1 tablespoon tomato puree tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves I use dry bay leaves
250 g / 1½ cups of cooked puy lentils
300 g / 10oz rigatoni pasta (dry weight)
125 g (1 x 8 oz) ball of fresh mozzarella torn into strips
25 g Grana Padano or vegetarian Italian Parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F)
Heat the oil in a large skillet or saute pan. Add the chopped onion, carrot and celery with a small pinch of salt.
Cook over medium heat for at least 20 minutes until the onions start to soften. Stir often to prevent the onions from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
While the vegetables are cooking, cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water.
Once the pasta is al dente drain and toss in a little olive oil to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the vegetables along with a teaspoon of butter. Cook until the mushrooms start to release their juices.
Then add 3 cloves of minced garlic along with two level teaspoons of dried oregano, half a level teaspoon of dried parsley and one-quarter teaspoon of fennel seeds. Cook for a minute or until you smell the herbs and garlic.
Next, add the passata to the vegetables, also add one tablespoon of tomato puree and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Stir well then add the puy lentils and the bay leaves.
Season with salt and freshly ground pepper then simmer gently for 10 - 15 minutes.
Now, add the pasta to the sauce and stir gently.
Transfer the pasta to a casserole dish
Spread the torn mozzarella over the pasta then cover with the grated Pana Grado.
Cover the casserole dish with foil then bake in the oven for 2o minutes.
After 20 minutes remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to turn golden brown.
Leave to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Casserole Dish - my dish measures 18 x 27 cm and 6cm deep (11 x 7 inches and was 2 and a half inches deep)
Nutritional Information - all nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.

Nutrition