Roasted Vegetable Pasta
Roasted vegetable pasta is a baked casserole of penne, caramelized leeks, red onion and sweet peppers in a garlicky tomato sauce. Roasting the vegetables first browns their edges and concentrates their sugars, and a splash of white wine scrapes every bit of flavor from the pan into the sauce. Parmesan goes through the pasta, and an optional layer of mozzarella or goat cheese melts on top in the final bake.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Split the leeks lengthwise and cut them into bite-sized pieces, cut the onion into eighths, and slice the peppers into wide strips.
Toss the leeks, onion and peppers with a tablespoon of olive oil in a shallow roasting pan and add the thyme. Roast for about 30 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through and starting to brown. Check early for burning, and add a little water or vegetable stock if the juices dry up.
While the vegetables roast, cook the chopped garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil until it begins to take on color. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and stir in the basil. Fold the roasted vegetables into the sauce.
Lower the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pour the wine into the empty roasting pan and stir, scraping up the stuck bits of vegetable, then add these juices to the sauce.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt and pasta. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is al dente.
Drain the pasta and mix it into the sauce and vegetables along with the Parmesan. Grease a 2 to 2 ½ quart casserole dish and pour the mixture in.
Top with mozzarella or goat cheese if you like. Bake in the 375°F (190°C) oven for another 15 minutes.
Make it personal.
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