Jan
30
2014
By
of Valet.
Make It
 

Baked Pasta

When it comes to satisfying comfort foods, you want them to be warm, gooey and uncomplicated. Baked pasta may just be the easiest one to make. Boil some pasta, toss it with a few ingredients, some sauce and cheese, then stick it in the oven. Clean up the kitchen while it bakes and you've got a tasty dinner that's ideal for colder weather. It's a great meal to make for a date because it looks and tastes like it took a lot of time and skill. Not to mention, it usually leaves you a lot of delicious leftovers. This meatless recipe has been adapted from a handful of different dishes, but you can make it your own by adding and subtracting the roasted vegetables to your liking. I sometimes stir in chopped kale, artichoke hearts and mushrooms or swap in smoked fontina cheese for the standard mozzarella.

  •  
    Cut vegetables the same size in order to cook evenly.
Ingredients
 
Bell pepper
 
Zucchini or summer squash
 
Onion
 
Carrot
 
1 cup frozen peas
 
1 lb. penne pasta
 
1 jar marinara sauce
 
1 tbsp. dried Italian herb mix
 
Olive oil
 
1 ½ cup mozzarella
 
¾ cup grated Parmesan
Technique
1

Preheat your oven to 450° and bring a pot of water to a boil (then add 1 tbsp. of salt).

2

On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the chopped vegetables with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and the Italian herbs. Roast for 15 minutes.

3

Cook the pasta for just six minutes and then drain. (It will finish cooking in the oven).

4

In the empty pot, combine the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, peas, marinara sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan. Toss gently until fully combined.

5

Turn the oven down to 400°. Pour the mixture into a greased pan and top with the remaining cheeses. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is browned and the cheese has melted.

Give It a Rest

Baked pastas should sit for about ten minutes after baking. This prevents the gooey ingredients from oozing all over the plate and also lets the dish cool off a little.

 

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