Vegetarian bolognese

A veggie packed dish which has really body and flavour making it great for meat lovers as well as seasoned vegetarians and vegans. 11 plant foods in one dish!! That’s over a third of your ideal weekly intake of plant varieties!

This is a Jamie Oliver inspired recipe, although I rarely stick to a recipe and ended up combining two different recipes and the result was so delicious and full of flavour I thought I’d better share it, because at least now I’ll have a note of it for myself!

Ingredients: (serves 6)

• ½ cup puy lentils (boiled as per packet instructions until cooked) OR use tinned green lentils, drained

• 1 small red onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic

• ¼ pack porcini mushrooms (covered with boiling water to soak for 20 mins)

• ½ aubergine

• ½ courgette

• 100g mushrooms

• ½ yellow pepper

• 2 jarred red peppers

• ½ glass of red wine (optional)

• 500ml passata

• Spaghetti (enough per person – approx. 50g per child and 80g per adult) – I used half and half white and wholewheat and added the white 2 minutes after the wholewheat.

 Method:

1.     Put the Puy lentils onto cooked if using

2.     Soak the porcini mushrooms

3.     In a large heavy bottomed pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes

4.     Roughly chop the garlic and all the other vegetables (except the jarred peppers and porcini mushrooms) and add to the pan.  Gently fry for another 10 minutes, lid off.

5.     Add the red wine and increase the heat to cook off the alcohol.

6.     Remove the porcini mushrooms from their water and finely slice along with the jarred red pepper.  Add both to the pan.

7.     Add the water from the porcini mushrooms (pour slowly and don’t add the last couple of millilitres as this is often a bit grainy).

8.    Add the passata and use a little boiled water to rinse out the jar or carton and add this also.

9.    Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes.

10.  Put the spaghetti onto boil.

11.  Once all the veg are well cooked, use a stick blender to gently blend the veg into the sauce, leaving some chunky pieces.

12.  Add the cooked puy lentils or tin of green lentils and cook for another 5-10 minutes until thick and luscious.

13.  Add the drained spaghetti and stir into the sauce.

14.  Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan if wanted (leave off for a vegan dish!) and a green salad.