Pasta al Forno with Roasted Vegetables
Spring has arrived….Yay…A perfect time of year to prepare this beautiful “pasta al forno”… a baked pasta that celebrates the simplicity of seasonal spring vegetables. What makes this dish exceptionally delicious is that I roasted the vegetables ahead …as this process intensifies and enhances the flavor and sweetness of each vegetable.
You can use a variety of vegetables for this baked pasta but I selected ones I had on hand and this combination works well together. I sliced fresh carrots, zucchini, red bell pepper, mushrooms and onion; sprinkled with olive oil and seasoned with dried herbs and salt/ pepper and roasted them on a large sheet pan in the oven for approx 25 minutes. 
The pasta is cooked and drained and then mixed in the roasted vegetables, I also added a couple of links of Italian grilled sausage I had leftover from a BBQ, some pre-made marinara sauce, a small bag of frozen petite peas and an assortment of cheeses that melt easily… like fontina, mozzarella and pecorino. Many times I add some ricotta but did not include it this time.
Transfer it to a large rectangular pan…dot it with a few tsp. of butter and sprinkle with more cheese and then it is ready to bake into a 350 degree oven…
Here’s the finished dish..Pasta Al Forno……nice and toasty and cheesy on top
Plate it up …sprinkle with some more grated pecorino or parmesan cheese and fresh basil….Call in the troops…there’s enough for the whole neighborhood….Enjoy!
Buon Appetito ….See what a little passion in the kitchen produces!!
Kathleen Barbato….3 Italian sisters…
- 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise and sliced into half moon shape
- 1 -2 red bell pepper, cored and sliced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rectangles or Julienne.
- 8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced thinly.
- 1 yellow onion sliced thinly
- 2 tsps dried italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt/pepper to taste
- 8 oz frozen green peas
- 1-2 grilled sausage links- sliced into rounds (optional)
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 4 cups homemade marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or basil
- 1/4 cup pecorino cheese, grated plus 1/4 cup for topping
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup fontina cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp. butter for topping.
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- On a rectangular cookie sheet, spread out sliced vegetables,- zucchini, mushrooms, pepper, onion and carrot. Sprinkle vegetables with olive oil, salt, pepper and dried italian seasonings. Mix to coat vegetables
- Roast vegetables in oven for approx 25 minutes or until tender
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a vigorous boil.
- Add penne pasta and cook for 6 minutes or until al dente.
- Drain pasta and and transfer to a large mixing bowl
- Add roasted vegetables to pasta, along with marinara sauce, peas, sausage, parsley and cheeses.. MIx to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Pour pasta mixture into a rectangular 9x 12 baking pan that has been greased with a few tbsps. of olive oil.
- Top pasta mixture with additional grated pecorino cheese and dot with butter.
- Bake in 350 degree oven until top is golden and cheeses have melted, approx 25 min..
- Plate individual bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
- Buon Appetito
- Kathleen Barbato 3 Italian Sisters
