PROVENÇAL VEGGIE PASTA BAKE

- METHOD -

Start by making the tomato sauce. Fry the onion in a tablespoon of vegetable oil over low heat until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and tomato paste. Stir in the rest of the tomato sauce ingredients except the cream. Then, turn the heat to its lowest setting, pop the lid on and simmer the tomato sauce for 20 minutes. Following that, add the cream and simmer for a further five minutes.

Make the rest of the pasta dish while the tomato sauce is simmering. Fry the courgettes, peppers and aubergines in batches in a bit of vegetable oil until soft. Add the olives and capers to the veggies. Cook the rigatoni pasta until just el dente – it must have a slightly firm bite as it will continue cooking in the oven.

Combine the cooked pasta with the veggies and tomato sauce. Spoon into a large ovenproof dish. Top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese and bake in a pre-heated 180 ˚C oven until golden and bubbly. Serve right away whilst piping hot.

Recipe concept & photography by Lizet Hartley.

Lizet Hartley is a freelance stills and reel food stylist, food photographer and recipe developer. In her spare time she – rather predictably – cooks. Get more of her recipes on her blog at http://www.melkkos-merlot.co.za