Summer Veg Rigatoni

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil (plus extra to serve)
• 2 aubergine (cut into 2cm chunks)
• 2 red pepper (cut into 1cm slices)
• 2 courgettes (cut into 1cm slices)
• 300 g rigatoni pasta (or other pasta of choice)
• 4 garlic (thinly sliced)
• dried red chilli flakes (a pinch, optional)
• 300 g cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1 handful fresh basil (roughly torn)
• sea salt & black pepper (a pinch to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Warm the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add half the aubergine, pepper and courgettes along with a pinch of salt. Cook for 10—12 minutes, until tender and golden.

3. 3

   Remove the cooked vegetables from the pan onto a plate and repeat the cooking process with the remaining half of the vegetables.

4. 4

   Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.

5. 5

   Cook the pasta for 8—10 minutes until al dente. Drain, reserving a cup of cooking water, and set aside.

6. 6

   Drizzle more oil into the frying pan if needed, add the sliced garlic and chilli flakes (if using) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

7. 7

   Stir in the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until softened and glossy.

8. 8

   Reduce the heat to low and tip the cooked vegetables back into the pan.

9. 9

   Add the cooked pasta, torn basil, and a splash of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce.

10. 10

    Toss everything together until warmed through and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

11. 11

    To serve, divide into bowls and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Notes

For an extra protein boost, add a tin of chickpeas, lentils or beans. This is a great midweek dinner option.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• vegan
• pasta
• summer
• midweek dinner
• healthy