Cheesy tomato pasta bake with hidden vegetables

Ingredients

• 500 g dried pasta, such as penne or rigatoni
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely grated
• 1 courgette (zucchini), finely grated
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes (400 g each)
• 2 tbsp tomato purée (tomato paste)
• 200 g vegetarian Cheddar, grated
• salt and black pepper
• 125 g vegetarian mozzarella, torn · can skip

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.
2. Warm the oil in a large pan and cook the onion, carrot, courgette and pepper over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very soft.
3. Add the garlic and oregano for a minute, then the tomatoes and tomato purée. Simmer for 10 minutes and season. Blend the sauce smooth if you want the vegetables out of sight.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than its packet says, then drain.
5. Stir the pasta into the sauce with half the Cheddar and tip it into a large baking dish. Scatter over the rest of the Cheddar and the mozzarella, if using.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.