The texture of this sauce is very hearty and super tasty. It is an ideal alternative to mince. The addition of the chestnuts and lentils pack a fantastic protein punch while remaining low in saturated fat. You could use this sauce recipe for lasagne, shepherd’s pie, topping for a baked potato, stuffed peppers or as a tasty pie filling.
Equipment
- Roasting Tin
- Frying Pan
- Spatula
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 1 Aubergine chopped into 1-2 cm cubes
- 1 Red pepper chopped into 1-2 cm chunks
- 2 tbsp Sunflower Oil
- 1 Red Onion chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves crushed
- 1 tsp Ground Allspice
- 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tbsp Tomato Puree
- 100 grams Cooked Chestnuts Chopped finely or crushed with a fork
- 250 grams Cooked Puy Lentils
- 400 ml Vegetable Stock
- 125 ml Red Wine
- 6 Sundried Tomatoes Chopped
- 2 Bay Leaves
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 handful Fresh Basil Leaves to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- Place the aubergine and red pepper in a roasting tin. Toss in 1 tbsp oil and roast for 30-40 minutes until golden.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion on a medium heat for 8-10 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Add the allspice, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and tomato puree. Fry for a further 2 minutes.
- Add red wine, stock, chestnuts, lentils, sundried tomatoes and bay leaves. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- When the aubergine and red pepper have finished roasting , remove from oven and add to the sauce. Stir well to combine.
- Serve with spaghetti or other pasta of your choice. Top with torn fresh basil leaves.
Notes
If the sauce looks too dry while simmering then add extra vegetable stock or water till it reaches the desired consistency. If the sauce is too runny then turn up the heat a little to boil off some of the liquid.