Vegetarian Baked Pasta

Vegetarian baked pasta is a versatile and delicious dish that can be customized according to your tastes and the ingredients you have on hand. Here is a basic recipe that you can adapt as you prefer:

Ingredients

• 350 g short pasta (such as rigatoni or penne)
• 700 ml tomato passata
• 2 zucchinis
• 1 eggplant
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 200 g mozzarella (or a plant-based version if you want a vegan dish)
• 100 g grated Parmesan (or vegan substitute if necessary)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh basil (optional)
• Dried oregano (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Wash and cut the zucchini, eggplant, and bell pepper into cubes. Chop the onion and garlic.
3. In a large skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion becomes translucent.
4. Add the zucchini, eggplant, and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add the tomato passata to the vegetables, add basil and oregano if using, and let simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until it is almost al dente (subtract about 2 minutes from the cooking time indicated on the package). Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl.
7. Mix the pasta with the vegetable sauce and half of the mozzarella cut into cubes.
8. Pour everything into a baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and grated Parmesan.
9. Bake and cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the surface is golden and crispy.
10. Let it cool slightly for a few minutes before serving.

This recipe is simple but very tasty. Feel free to add other vegetables to your liking, such as spinach, mushrooms, or carrots. Vegetarian baked pasta is a great way to consume seasonal vegetables and can be prepared in advance, to be then reheated before serving. Enjoy your meal!