Pasta w/Vegetables

By mariannefeldman

PASTA WITH GARDEN VEGETABLE SAUCE
cooksillustustrated
Published April 18, 2007.
Serves 4 to 6.
We like this recipe made with low-sodium chicken broth, but if you'd like to make it vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. Yellow summer squash can be substituted for the zucchini. Small curly pasta shapes such as rotini work best in this dish. Substituting other pasta shapes (even if small and curly) for the rotini may affect both the dry measurement and final portion size. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS
• 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium zucchini (about 6 ounces each), halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes , halved
• 3 medium carrots , peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 medium onion , sliced thin
• 1 medium red bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 pound rotini pasta (about 2 cups)
• 3 ounces baby arugula , washed and stemmed (about 3 cups)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
• Ground black pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Preparation

Step 1

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring often, until well browned, about 3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and toss to combine and wilt slightly. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

3. Add 1 more teaspoon oil to the now-empty skillet and return to medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, red pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until the onions and peppers have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute; cover and set aside.

4. Stir 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta into the boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Gently stir the sautéed zucchini-tomato mixture, carrot-sauce mixture, arugula, basil, and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil into the pasta. Cover and let sit off the heat until the vegetables are hot, about 1 minute. Add the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among six individual bowls and serve, passing the Parmesan cheese separately.

Per serving: Cal 230; Fat 4 g; Sat fat 5 g; Chol 0 mg; Carb 41 g; Protein 9 g; Fiber 5 g; Sodium 390 mg