Vegetarian Bolognese

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 stems celery, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 500g Puy lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 x 400g / 397g tin tomatoes
• 1½ litres / 2.5 pints vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 300g dried pasta
• vegetarian cheese, to serve
• green salad, to serve
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. 1Heat a large sauté pan or casserole dish until medium hot. Add the olive oil, onions, carrots, and celery and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, allowing them to soften without coloring.
2. 2Add the thyme and garlic, cooking for another minute before adding the tomato purée. Stir well to incorporate the purée into the vegetables, then add the Puy lentils and mix again.
3. 3Pour in the tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender and the sauce has reduced slightly. Add the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
4. 4When the sauce has 15 minutes left to cook, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente according to packet instructions, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
5. 5You have enough sauce to serve 8 people. To serve 4, set aside half the sauce at this point.
6. 6Tip the drained pasta into the sauté pan with the sauce and mix well, adding reserved pasta water if necessary to coat all the pasta in sauce. Serve immediately with a green salad and a grating of cheese.