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I believe that salt is to food, what food is to life. In right proportions, it can heighten the taste of what you eat..and in the wrong - destroy! Even the most delicious sweets come added with some salt...to taste!

As for me, I've never enjoyed cooking. And as contrary to my owning a food-blog as it may sound, I always think about daily, routine cooking as a chore. But my tryst with the pots and pans began when I got a kitchen all to myself...I began experimenting and exploring new worlds in my own home. Some outcomes were excellent and some plain disasters. Then sprouted the need to keep track of all those good ones...and hence this blog!

Here, I share those experiments that pleased more than one palate!




February 5, 2010

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

This one is again dedicated to my friend Sathya, who inspired me to make Bread Salad in Mustard Dressing. I've always loved pasta, but I mostly make it using the simple basic method - Cook pasta, stir in sauce and eat. Sometimes, you itch to go beyond the normal ways... especially when you have time and more importantly, are feeling over-the-top indulgent! Sathya, had sent this recipe about three years ago and it sat in my archives until one day I was in a good mood to bake up something savory...and I dug this luscious pasta dish. I told her I was going to make it and that I would call her when I taste it, but she sat waiting for my call while I was busy hogging...Try it and you will know why!

Ingredients
1 Cup - Cooked Pasta (You can choose to cook the pasta to about 75% al dente since it will get cooked fully in the oven)
3/4 Cup - Marinara Sauce (Or any other Tomato based Pasta Sauce of your choice)
1 Cup - Chopped vegetables of your choice (I've used broccoli, carrots, red onions and sun-dried tomatoes)
1 Cup - Shredded cheddar cheese (I suggest you use Mozzarella instead since it pairs much better with all things Italian. I did not have it on hand so I ended up using cheddar)
4 Tsp - Olive Oil
1 Tsp - Chilly powder (Optional. I like a little heat action in almost every thing savory!)
And, of course, some salt to taste!

Method
- Preheat oven to 250F. Spray some oil over a oven-safe dish and place the chopped vegetables on it. Drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil and some salt and place in oven to roast.
- Once the vegetables are roasted (crisp) remove them from the oven and set aside (Let your oven remain on! We've got more to do in there!)
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan
- Add the pasta sauce and allow to heat on a medium flame, stirring occasionally.
- Once sauce is hot, toss in the cooked pasta and stir until all of it is covered in the sauce
- Turn off the flame, and add the roasted vegetables
- Transfer this entire mixture back onto your oven-safe dish and spread it evenly
- Top up with cheese and place dish back into oven
- Allow to bake until the cheese melts and the pasta is fully cooked
- Serve hot

SERVES 2

1 comment:

  1. i love pasta too..and anything that has 'bake'and 'pasta' in it sure gets a thumbs up from me!!!!

    ReplyDelete