Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
- 300g pasta
- 250g ricotta cheese
- 60ml milk
- 30g vegetarian hard cheese, finely grated
- 1 batch of basic tomato sauce (about 750g) – see box
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- ½–1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 230g purple sprouting broccoli, trimmed and halved if large
- 200g cavolo nero, roughly chopped and thicker stalks trimmed
- 65g pine nuts
- Preheat the oven down to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions until almost al dente, then drain.
- Meanwhile mix the ricotta, milk, cheese and some salt and pepper until smooth.
- Mix the tomato sauce, herbs, chilli flakes, pasta, purple sprouting broccoli, cavolo nero and some salt and pepper in a 1.5-litre ovenproof dish. Top with the ricotta mixture then with the pine nuts, and bake for 20–25 minutes.
Basic tomato sauce
Makes 2 batches (about 750g each)
1½ tbsp light olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp tomato purée
1kg tomato passata
800ml vegetable stock
leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme or 1½ tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion, celery and carrot for 12 minutes, stirring regularly until golden. Add the garlic, mix well and cook for another minute.
Add the tomato purée, passata, stock and herbs, bring to the boil, cover loosely and simmer for 30–40 minutes. Add the sugar and soy sauce, and season to taste.
Freeze any leftover sauce to use for other recipes
Recipe created by @katy_mcclelland. Photography by @catherine_frawley