I decided to play, "Ready, Steady, Cook!" last night. This is a game, not unlike a Victorian parlour game, whereby one investigates the dregs remaining at the back of the fridge compartment and tries to envisage making something faintly edible. Often I am posed with interesting culinary paradoxes like custard, sweet potatoes and partially fermenting spring onions. Last night I was distinctly blessed with the following:
- Two Leeks
- An onion
- A red pepper
- Some garlic
- A tin of tomatoes (in the cupboard, not the fridge)
- Some fusilli
- Cheddar cheese.
On the first day God said, "Let there be light!", on the second day God said, "Let there be firmament!". And there was. On the third day He said, "Let's have a pasta bake!".
Pasta bake is rather like martini bianco, or cherry brandy. You left it at the back of the drinks cabinet, you got thirsty and that's all there was to drink, you drank it and then you remembered just how lovely it is.
Veggie Pasta Bake
- Chop your onion, your pepper and leeks into manageable chunks and add them to a pan with some olive oil on medium heat.
- Add some garlic - about 3 or 4 cloves should be enough to eradicate the flavour of the leeks.
- Cook until the vegetables have softened
- Add some red wine. Increase the heat, boil off the booze.
- Add the tomatoes, a squirt of tomato puree and keep the heat on to reduce.
- Meanwhile boil some pasta. I used fusilli last night. Don't worry about it being al dente - you are going to obliterate it in this recipe.
- Drain the pasta when it's ready and add to the tomato and vegetables. Mix together.
- Pour the contents into a decent sized, oven compatible receptacle.
- Sprinkle some cheese on top.
- Cook until the top is crispy and golden, about 20 minutes @ 180C
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