Creamy tomato pasta bake

1. Prepare the vegetables and place separately onto a plate:
– finely chop the onion,
– wash the celery, peel and wash the carrot.
– Chop the celery and carrot into a small dice.
– Crush the garlic.

2. Heat about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in your largest saucepan on a medium heat and add the onion. Stir. Place a lid on and let it cook for one minute.

3. Stir in the remaining vegetables. Replace the lid, reduce the heat to low and allow to cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

4. If your adding oregano, chop and stir this in now.

5. Open the tin of chopped tomatoes and pour into the saucepan with the vegetable stock powder and oregano. Half fill the empty tomato tin with cold water, swirl it around to collect the tomato off the sides and pour into the saucepan.

6. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil, reduce the heat again and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often so the bottom doesn’t burn.

5. Once the vegetables are soft, using a stick blender or liquidiser, blend until smooth.

6. If you require a thicker sauce, you can continue to simmer with the lid removed until it is the correct consistency. For a thinner sauce, add water a little at a time.

7. Once you’ve reached the correct consistency, stir in the double cream and bring the sauce back to the boil.

Add the chopped basil if using. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

For the pasta

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add a pinch of salt.

Weigh your pasta and add to the saucepan. Stir the pasta to separate and reduce the heat to a simmer.

Follow the packet instructions for the cooking times for your pasta. Check a piece to see if it’s cooked and drain through a sieve.

Stir the pasta into the sauce. Check the seasoning.

Pour the pasta and sauce into an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top and bake in an oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and bubbling. Alternatively, place under a grill to melt the cheese.