Red Lentil Pasta with Sardines

Freshly Harvested Garlic from the Market Garden at the Knepp Estate

This pasta dish is truly special. I usually make it when organic garlic is freshly harvested locally, taking advantage of its natural antioxidants and anti microbial and anti fungal properties. 

What you will need for two:

1 large whole garlic bulb (mine came from the market garden at Knepp)

50g of extra virgin olive oil

4 large tomatoes

1 large white onion

Couple of table spoons of Fresh herbs: for example basil, parsley, thyme

100ml of vegetable stock (I used Marigold bouillon)

A couple of handfuls of Baby Chard

Creme fraiche

Tin of sardines

Parmesan to serve

100g of red lentil pasta (Waitrose own brand is equally good)

How to make it:

Red Lentil Pasta with Tomato & Garlic Sauce

1. Chop the top off the garlic bulb and surround in a baking dish with a roughly chopped onion, four large tomatoes stuffed with the chopped herbs, season well and give it a good glut of olive oil 

2. Bake at 170C for 40 minutes (if it starts to brown too much please cover the dish with foil!)

3. Add the vegetable stock to the tray to let all the flavours combine and let it cool on the stove top

4. Blitz all the content of the baking tray in your blender and you have your sauce base

5. Boil your pasta - it should only take 6 minutes or so

6. In a shallow pan, gently simmer the tomato sauce and add in the baby chard

7. Stir in the creme fraiche and finally the pasta

8. Crumble in the sardines and turn once or twice

9. Serve with parmesan