Veggie Bolognese Pasta

This bonus Bolognese is a tasty veg packed sauce which is easy to make and uses up leftover ingredients from other recipes. A great way to minimise food waste!

These recipes are designed for you to cook together as a family. The best bits for children to help with are shown in blue, and little hands can always help with measuring ingredients and washing up!

Ingredients

• Saved filling from Hearty Veg Packed Pie
• 1 tablespoon oil (1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons approx.)
• 200g red lentils, or about 1 mug
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic gloves, finely chopped
• ½ carton passata (or remaining
• passata from the Pitta Pizzas)
• 400ml hot water, about 2 mugs
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• ½ pack fresh basil, chopped or frozen
• 350g pasta, about 5 mugs
• Black pepper (optional)
• 100g grated cheese

Serves 4. Approximate cost per adult serving: 60p

Method

1. Peel the onion and garlic and finely chop. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or frying pan and add the onion. Cook on a medium heat until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
2. Add in the pie filling and the passata and mix well. Cook for a few minutes until hot.
3. Measure the lentils, rinse and add to the pan, along with 400ml of hot water and mix well. Simmer on a medium heat for about 25 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed and the lentils are soft. You can add more water and continue to cook the lentils for longer if needed.
4. After 20 minutes, measure the pasta, bring a pan of hot water to the boil and cook according to the packet instructions.
5. If making for a baby under 1, remove a small portion of the sauce now. Crumble in the stock cube and season with pepper. Mix well and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes. The sauce should be thick and spoonable.
6. Add the basil. If using from fresh, finely chop, remove sauce from the heat and mix the basil through. If adding straight from frozen, add the basil ice cubes to your sauce and keep on the heat until they have thawed and are mixed through.
7. Drain the pasta, add the sauce, and serve. Top with grated cheese.

Equipment

• 2 saucepans or 1 saucepan and 1 frying pan
• Grater
• Sharp knife
• Chopping board

Modify Me

• For babies under 1, chop up the pasta or serve separately.
• Homemade meatballs would go well – make them before starting this recipe and fry in the frying pan before adding the onion.

Foodie Fact

Onions and garlic are prebiotics. This means they help the friendly bacteria in our digestive system to flourish, keeping our digestive system healthy.

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