Annabel Karmel's pasta shells with tomato and mascarpone sauce

Ingredients

■ 1tbsp olive oil
■ 1 red onion, peeled and chopped
■ 30g carrot, diced
■ 30g courgette, diced
■ 15g celery, diced
■ 1 clove garlic, crushed
■ 50g button mushrooms, chopped
■ 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
■ 2tbsp apple juice
■ 60g pasta shells
■ 2tbsp torn basil leaves (optional)
■ 3tbsp mascarpone
■ 3tbsp grated Parmesan

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and then sauté the onion, carrot, courgette and celery for 5 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Add the button mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and apple juice, and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the pasta shells according to the packet instructions.
3. Remove the tomato mixture from the heat, add the basil and blend the mixture in a food processor. Return the mixture to the pan and stir in the mascarpone and Parmesan. Strain the pasta and then stir it into the sauce.