‘Secret’ pasta sauce

Method

Feel free to play around with the choice of vegetables but things like red and orange peppers, carrots and pumpkin help maintain the illusion that it is just a simple tomato sauce. This also freezes brilliantly so you can easily double the recipe and keep some in the freezer for another time.

In a large heavy based casserole dish heat the olive oil and add all the onion, garlic and leek. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes or until soft but not coloured. Add the rest of the vegetables followed by the tinned tomatoes. Then, fill the empty tin with water and swill back into the sauce. Stir well and add the stock cube. Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes. Check that all the vegetable are very soft and then allow to cool slightly before blending until smooth. Serve with your favourite pasta and freshly grated cheese.

Ingredients

1 medium red onion peeled and chopped

1 leek washed and chopped

1 carrot peeled and chopped

1 red pepper chopped and de-seeded

1 medium sweet potato peeled and chopped

1 fat clove of garlic roughly chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 x 400 gram tin of quality plum tomatoes

1 organic vegetable stock cube

Salt and pepper

Serves: 4-6

Dietaries: VEGAN

Method

Feel free to play around with the choice of vegetables but things like red and orange peppers, carrots and pumpkin help maintain the illusion that it is just a simple tomato sauce. This also freezes brilliantly so you can easily double the recipe and keep some in the freezer for another time.

In a large heavy based casserole dish heat the olive oil and add all the onion, garlic and leek. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes or until soft but not coloured. Add the rest of the vegetables followed by the tinned tomatoes. Then, fill the empty tin with water and swill back into the sauce. Stir well and add the stock cube. Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes. Check that all the vegetable are very soft and then allow to cool slightly before blending until smooth. Serve with your favourite pasta and freshly grated cheese.

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