Pasta and vegetable bake recipe

After a hearty dinner recipe that’s also a hit with fussy eaters?

Leading Australian dietitian Kate Di Prima shares her pasta and vegetable bake recipe with us. She’s regarded as an expert in treating children who are fussy and picky eaters and has authored and co-authored several cookbooks including More Peas Please: Solutions for Feeding Fussy Eaters and Kids Meals the whole family will love.  

Ingredients

• 250g dried penne pasta
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup corn flour
• 375 g crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1 carrot sliced
• 1 head broccoli cut into florets
• 145g (1 1/2 cups) coarsely grated cheddar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C
2. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling water following packet directions. Drain.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, corn, zucchini, carrot and broccoli and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften. Stir in the canned tomatoes.
4. Mix corn flour with small amount of water and add to sauce
5. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
6. Add the pasta, vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup of cheese to the sauce. Spoon pasta mixture into an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over pasta.
7. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden. Serve with mixed salad leaves, if desired.

Tip: Easy to freeze.