Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta Bake

Mediterranean Pasta Bake- a vegetarian pasta bake, packed with veg- aubergine, pepper and courgette and then topped with cheese. Great for weeknight dinners and feeding a crowd.

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I am so in love with aubergines right now. I can't get enough of them, especially when they're roasted. I love the way they caramelise and get that creamy texture and nutty flavour. I just want to put them in everything!

It's this obsession with trying to get aubergine into lots of meals, and our commitment to Meat-free Mondays, that got me thinking about making a Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta Bake. The most recent pasta bake I have posted on the blog is a rather delicious Chicken and Sweetcorn version.That has a lovely rich cheesy sauce, so it's a little on the naughty side. Whereas, this Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta Bake is jam packed full of veggies and has a tomato based sauce for days when you want to eat a little lighter. Aubergine, courgette, yellow pepper, tomatoes, onion- all very good for you and full of flavour.

There is a bit of prep work required but a lot of the processes happen simultaneously, so it's not as much work as it might seem at first. Once it's assembled, like most pasta bakes, you just top it with cheese, whack it in the oven and wait for the magic to happen. When it comes out, the absolute best part of the whole dish is the crispy, cheesy top layer, so make sure you get a big spoonful of that in your portion!

Top Tips

• Make sure you chop the veg into decent sized chunks around 7-8cm. You want to be able to see the different pieces when it's mixed with the pasta. Cut it too small and it will turn into mush when roasted and mixed in.
• Leave the veg roasting until the aubergine is nicely browned. That gives it the nutty flavour and smooth texture.
• Serve with salad and garlic bread.