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Aubergine, red pepper & pesto pasta bake
Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare15 mins
Cook45 mins
Total time1 hr
2 medium aubergines, trimmed and sliced lengthways
2 Romano peppers, seeded and thickly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
150g cherry vine tomatoes, halved
3 garlic cloves, chopped(aprox. 2-3)
½ 25g pack fresh basil, leaves only, shredded and extra to serve
350g penne pasta
145g red chilli pesto with tomato
125g mozzarella, torn into pieces
50g pitted Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
3 tbsp grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients Breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Arrange the aubergine and pepper slices in a single layer on 1-2 baking trays, season and brush with 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the vegetables, add the halved tomatoes and scatter over the garlic and the basil and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Meanwhile cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water for 10 minutes until just tender then drain. Mix with the pesto. Cut the roasted vegetables into strips and add to the pasta with the rest of the juices on the trays, the mozzarella and olives. Season to taste.
Transfer the mixture to an oiled 2-litre ovenproof baking dish. Mix together the Parmigiano Reggiano and breadcrumbs. Scatter over the pasta and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the top is golden. Scatter with extra basil and serve with a green salad. Also delicious cold the next day.
