Traditionally the word casserole conjures up images of meaty dinners, but vegetables can be the star attraction too - and a vegetarian dish can be quicker to cook. This recipe for Mediterranean vegetable casserole is created by Tony Allcott, head chef at The Boat hotel, Boat of Garten.
Tony Allcott's Mediterranean vegetable casserole
Serves four people
Ingredients
2 chopped onions
1lb fresh penne pasta
3 x 400g tins of chopped Italian plum tomatoes
3 mixed bell peppers
2 x 4oz bags of pre-grated mozzarella cheese
Method
Finely chop the onions and de-seed and slice the peppers.
Put the vegetables and the tins of tomatoes into an oven-proof casserole dish and season with salt and pepper.
Put the lid on the casserole dish and bake in the oven for an hour and a half at gas mark 5 (180ºC). Just before serving, boil the fresh pasta for the time recommended on the packaging, drain it and then mix into the vegetables.
Finally, stir in the grated mozzarella to serve.