Fill a pot with 3L of water and bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce to medium heat and add 1 tbsp salt.
Add the dried pasta and bring to boil and leave to cook as per the pack instructions.
Drain and rinse the cooked lentils.
Finely chop onion and garlic and chilli. Grate the carrot. Slice the mushrooms and chop up the stalks.
Heat a non stick wide bottomed pan on high heat.
Add chopped onion, garlic and chilli, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4-5 mins until they start to brown. Stirring occasionally. If anything starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, add 4 tablespoons of water and 'deglaze' the pan with your wooden spoon.
Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for 3-4 mins stirring occasionally until they start to char.
Add the grated carrot and cook for 2 min, add 2 tbsp of water if the veg sticks to the pan, stirring occasionally
Add the drained lentils and chopped tomatoes and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
If using the basil remove the leaves from the stalk and finely chop the stalk and add to the sauce.
Drain and rinse the cooked pasta ensuring to keep a cup full to dilute the sauce.
Add the cooked pasta, add about 6-7tbsp of cooked pasta water and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
