This dish is not your average pasta dish. It is so fresh and flavoursome with the tang of the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, the heat from the chilli and a hint of fennel. Serious comfort food! It is based on a Jamie Oliver recipe that I adapted and made vegan.
Ingredients – serves 2-3
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 fresh chilli, stalk removed
1 stick of celery, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
Half a can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of oregano
250 grams of penne pasta
4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 can of chopped tomatoes
Optional, nutritional yeast flakes and fresh basil to finish
Method
Put the carrot, onion, celery, chilli, cannellini beans, garlic, oregano and fennel seeds in a food processor and mince together.
Place the pasta in a pan of boiling water and cook as per instructions
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on a medium heat. Add the minced vegetables and stir for about 5 minutes. It should start to smell fragrant.
Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for a minute before adding a tin of chopped tomatoes. Stir through for 5 minutes at a low simmer.
Mix with the pasta and serve immediately with a sprinkle of yeast flakes and basil if using.
