Cheesy Butter Bean Pasta Bake

Preheat the oven & cook the pasta

• Preheat the oven to 210°C fan.
• Boil the pasta in salted water until just under al dente. Reserve a mug of the pasta water before draining. Or as per the packet instructions.

Make the pasta bake

• Meanwhile, make the pasta bake. Chop the red onion and garlic cloves.
• Heat a dash of olive oil in a large, ovenproof pan or shallow casserole dish. (If you don’t have an ovenproof pan, use a large frying pan for now - we’ll transfer to a baking dish later.)
• Add the red onion and cook for 8-10 minutes until starting to soften, adding a splash of water to help them along if needed.
• Stir in the garlic, tomato purée and chilli flakes (if using) with a splash of water. Stir to create a paste and cook for 1–2 mins until fragrant and the tomato purée deepens in colour.
• Pour in the tomato passata, most of the basil leaves (saving some for garnish) and season with salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced slightly.
• Stir in the Bold Bean Queen butter beans with their bean stock, cooked pasta and spinach, if using. Stir to combine, adding more pasta water to loosen, if necessary. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until the spinach wilts.
• You could mash some of the beans for an even creamier consistency, but keep some whole to appreciate their texture and bite!
• If you started in a frying pan, now transfer everything to a large baking dish. If you used an ovenproof pan, keep everything where it is. Top with the grated cheddar, tear over the mozzarella and scatter over the parmesan.

Bake & Plate Up

• Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden, bubbling, and just starting to crisp on top - you can crank it up to a high grill setting for the final few minutes to help it along. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. We love this with garlic bread and a crisp side salad.