Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 medium red onion, cut into eighths
• 1–2 red bell peppers, cut into wide strips
• to taste olive oil
• 2 fresh sprigs of thyme
• to taste vegetable stock
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 1 ½ cups tomato sauce
• ½ cup basil
• ¼ cup white wine
• 1 tbsp of salt
• ⅓ cup parmesan cheese

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Put the leeks, onion, and red bell pepper in a shallow roasting pan, tossing them with a tablespoon of olive oil to coat them.
3. Add thyme and roast in the preheated oven until they are cooked and start to brown (about 30–45 minutes).
4. Check early to make sure they are not burning, and add a little water or vegetable stock if the juices are evaporating.
5. While the vegetables are roasting, sauté the garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil until it begins to colour.
6. Add the tomato sauce and simmer 1 minute.
7. Turn off the heat and add the basil.
8. Stir the roasted vegetables into the sauce.
9. Turn oven down to 375°F (190°C).
10. Add the wine to the roasting pan.
11. Stir, scraping up bits of vegetables that are stuck to the pan.
12. Add these deglazed juices to the sauce.
13. Boil a large pot of water.
14. Add the salt and pasta.
15. Cook the pasta for about 6–8 minutes until al dente.
16. Drain the pasta.
17. Add it to the sauce and vegetables.
18. Add the cheese and mix it all.
19. Grease a 2–2 ½ quart casserole dish.
20. Pour it all in.
21. Top with the optional mozzarella or goat cheese if you like.
22. Bake it all for another 15 minutes in the 375°F (190°C) oven.