Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables: What’s Baking?

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     With summer on it’s way the farmer’s market is in full swing.  I love going to our little farmer’s market every Friday morning in the summer and picking all the fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown in this area.  Occasionally I make it down to the mall where they have a farmer’s market on Tuesdays or downtown where there is live music, the farmer’s market, and plenty of flowers. 

      This past week I grabbed a ton of vegetables in hopes of making a delicious and healthy pasta.  It also happens that Ammie from Adventures in my Kitchen is hosting What’s Baking? this month and she chose baking with seasonal produce for our theme!   I was looking through Giada’s recipes because she always has pasta dishes with fresh vegetables.  There was one for baked penne with roasted vegetables that caught my eye.  While it isn’t exactly healthy, it’s packed with vitamins from the vegetables.

       This pasta dish is wonderful.  The fresh vegetables get soft but not mushy in the oven.  There is marinara sauce on the pasta but it doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the vegetables.  The cheeses mix into the dish and give it a rich, creamy texture.  This makes a ton of pasta with plenty of leftovers which taste just as good if not better then they did the first day.

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables (adapted from Giada De Laurentis)
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch cubes
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 t. herbs de Provence
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 lb. penne pasta
3 c. marinara sauce
1 c. grated fontina cheese
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

2.  On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, onions, and garlic with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

3.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 6 minutes.  Drain in a colander.

4.  In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses,  1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Gently stir until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are well combined.

5.  Pour the pasta into a greased 9 x13 pan. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Bake until top is golden, about 25 minutes.

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Making You Crave Mondays, Mouthwatering Mondays, Seasonal Inspiration