Roast Tomato & Pecorino Pasta Bake

• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 fresh basil leaves, stalks chopped finely
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 1 tin plum tomatoes
• 200g ball of fresh mozzarella
• ½ cup stock or water
• 250g Quinoa or lentil Fusili Pasta
• ½ cup pecorino coarsely grated (or parmesan)

You can make the tomatoes ahead – they keep well under oil.

Preheat the oven to 150

Place halved tomatoes in a baking tray with a glug of oil and some salt. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until starting to caramelise but not drying out. Reserve until needed.

Fry the onion, garlic cloves and basil stalks in the oil in a large casserole dish, anything high-sided and oven proof will do.

At this point put your pasta on to boil and take it off a couple of minutes before it’s time is up, as it will cook a little in the oven.

After about 5 minutes, when the onions are softened, add in the tinned tomatoes, crushing them as you stir with the back of the wooden spoon. Turn up the heat and rinse the tin out with a splash of water, adding that to the pan too. Add sea salt to taste with a grind of black pepper.

Bring to the boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes until thickened slightly.

Drain the pasta well, and then add it to the sauce and mix it together really well. Place torn pieces of mozzarella throughout, and the roasted tomatoes, top with pecorino gratings.

Bake uncovered at 180 for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted beautifully and the pasta has a few crisp edges. Scatter the basil leaves over and serve.

Leave to cool and slice up as a delicious pasta wedge.