Enjoy this vegetable pasta for a great lunch

With the temperature starting to drop and the cold setting in in Gauteng, there is nothing nicer for a midday treat than a great hidden vegetable pasta.

“This is a very easy and tasty dish jam-packed with goodness,” said Chantelle du Plessis, PRO for Hirsch’s Meadowdale.

Hidden vegetable pasta: 

Ingredients:
• 30ml olive or sunflower oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 100g carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 100g courgettes or patty pans, chopped
• 100g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 x 410g tin chopped tomatoes
• 160ml vegetable stock
• 15ml fresh basil, chopped
• 1 bag fresh spinach, chopped
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 15ml brown sugar
• 400g fusilli pasta or pasta of your choice
• 50g grated cheddar or parmesan cheese or 50ml mascarpone cheese

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Method:
• Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic clove until translucent.
• Add in the carrots, and cook for a further four minutes, then stir in the courgettes and mushrooms; stir well, and cook for another three to four minutes.
• Add in the tomatoes and vegetable stock. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables have softened.
• Add in basil and spinach leaves, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook for a further four minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Use a plunge blender and blend to a purée.
• While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta according to directions on the packet.
• If necessary, thin the sauce down with a little more pasta water.
• Add the sauce to the cooked pasta and toss well.
• Add the mascarpone (if using) to the pasta and toss again.
• Serve with a little grated cheddar or parmesan cheese and a large green salad.

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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Busi Vilakazi (Journalist) busiv@caxton.co.za.

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