This is honestly one of the easiest dishes, as we’re cooking the sauce AND the pasta in the slow cooker, at the same time! No stove top required. And the end result? A super thick and rich pasta dish, ready to enjoy. Put the sauce on in the morning, then when you get home whack in the dried pasta, and 40 minutes later dinner is served! And during that 40 minutes, your presence in the kitchen is not required. Pretty easy, right? Give it a go and let me know what you’d think - I’d love to hear!
Serves 5
+ vegetarian
+ vegan
+ egg free
+ dairy free
+ nut free
+ soy free
Ingredients
¼ cup (55g) extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 large eggplant, diced
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
4 large swiss brown mushrooms, diced
100g pitted kalamata olives, diced*
1.5 tbsp faux-chicken stock powder, 3 tbsp stock concentrate or 2 stock cubes
2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
700ml passata
4 cups (500g) penne pasta
100g baby spinach
Method
FIRST
1. Place oil, garlic, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, stock powder or stock concentrate, salt, chilli flakes (if using), vinegar and passata in 6.5L slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
4 OR 8 HOURS LATER
2. Give everything a really good stir. Add pasta and spinach, pushing down with the back of a spatula if necessary, ensuring that it is fully submerged. Cook for 40 minutes on high (this is one of those times you need to be exact with time or you’ll overcook your pasta).
3. Give it another good stir and test your pasta – it should be cooked al dente, but if not, cook on high for a further 10 minutes.
Serve your pasta straight away - don’t leave in the slow cooker on the keep warm setting or you’ll overcook it. Delicious as is, but happily garnished with grated cheese, fresh parsley, fresh basil, rocket leaves and perhaps as extra drizzle of olive oil.
*I know some people don’t like olives! Easy – just leave them out. However, you might need to add a little extra salt before serving.
