Ever since I started making pasta, vegetable pasta was my go to recipe. But sometime back I came across a recipe from Food Network where the pasta was topped with cheese and baked. Gave it a try and we totally loved it. Have been baking this dish ever since keeping rest of my recipe version same. Pasta veggies and cheese makes the perfect combination for a hearty family meal and is even suitable for those potluck and parties.
Now to the recipe:
Step by Step Method:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and then season it with salt. Now Add the pasta to it and cook till Al-dente about 10 -15 mins. Reserve about a cup of the starchy pasta water and drain the remaining. Rinse the pasta. Once all the water has drained transfer the pasta back to the pot. Keep aside.
For roasted veggies:
For the Pasta Sauce:
In a saucepan, heat the oil and butter on medium-low until the butter melts. Then add the bay leaf and minced garlic and saute for about a minute. Now add the onions and saute until golden brown and soft. Then add the diced tomatoes and cook for about 10 mins covered on medium heat until the tomatoes are soft.
Add tomato paste along with 1 cup of starchy pasta water (or normal water). Stir well and simmer for about 10 mins. Then add the Italian seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix and cover and cook for about 20 mins on medium low or until the sauce has thickened and reduced. Usually the sauce will sweeten as you cook but if you want to cut the sourness add some sugar. Now add the fresh basil leaves and cook for about 5 mins more. That’s its, Pasta Sauce is ready. Keep aside.
For Assembling the Pasta :
To the pot of pasta add the roasted veggies along with the thawed green peas and corn. Then add the pasta sauce and about ½ cup of Mexican cheese blend. Mix well.
Lower the oven temperature to 375F. Now grease a 9X13 inch baking dish with some cooking oil spray or butter and transfer the pasta into it. Spread the pasta evenly. Now sprinkle evenly the remaining ½ cup of mixed Mexican cheese blend followed by mozzarella. Top it up with some dry parsley flakes and Italian seasoning. Bake for about 20-30 mins of until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden brown.
▢ 1 cup zucchini, chopped in 1 inch pieces▢ 1 cup yellow squash, chopped in 1 inch pieces▢ 1 cup broccoli florets,▢ 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped in 1 inch pieces▢ ¼ cup carrots, chopped in ½ inch circles▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil▢ ¼ teaspoon dry rosemary▢ ¼ teaspoon dry oregano▢ ⅛ teaspoon dry parsley flakes▢ salt and black pepper to taste
▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil▢ 1 tablespoon butter▢ 1 bay leaf▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced▢ 1 medium onion, finely chopped▢ 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes▢ 1 6 oz can tomato paste▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning▢ 10-15 fresh basil leaves▢ 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)▢ 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes (or to taste)▢ salt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 425°F.Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and add the chopped veggies on it.Sprinkle oil, salt, pepper, dry rosemary, dry oregano and dry parsley flakes and mix well. Bake for about 15 mins. The veggies should be ¾th cooked (as they will cook later when we bake them with pasta). Our Veggies are done. Keep them aside.
In a saucepan, heat the oil and butter on medium-low until the butter melts. Then add the bay leaf and minced garlic and saute for about a minute. Now add the onions and saute until golden brown and soft. Next add the diced tomatoes and cook for about 10 mins covered on medium heat until the tomatoes are soft.Stir in tomato paste along with 1 cup of starchy pasta water, talian seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper and simmer for 20-25 mins medium low or until the sauce has thickened and reduced. Usually the sauce will sweeten as you cook but if you want to cut the sourness add some sugar. Tear in the fresh basil leaves and cook for about 5 mins more. That’s its, Pasta Sauce is ready. Keep aside
Happy Baking!! Shweta
