When I set out to start this blog, one of my goals was to finally write down a lot of the basic Italian American recipes that I grew up with. These are the recipes that I know so intimately that I don’t even have to think much about what I’m doing. They are simple and homey and nostalgic. They often use red sauce and simple pantry staples.
Before I start sharing too many new recipes, allow me to dawdle in the past and pay homage to the simple flavors that first created my palate.
And so: I present to you my simple baked pasta with mushrooms and vegetables. I honestly don’t often do pasta bakes, mostly I think because I’m often cooking quickly and don’t want to take the time to boil pasta and bake it. But this week I happened to have a fresh ball of mozzarella screaming to be used, so I decided to bust out the casserole dish and photograph my method along the way. And thankfully, this is a quick one, or at least as quick as a baked pasta dish can be.
This isn’t exactly like the baked pasta dishes I grew up with. My method has morphed through the years to include mushrooms, veggies, and sometimes whole wheat pasta (as used in these photos). I change the veggie to pasta ratio, depending on my mood. Though the below recipe is heavy on the pasta, trust me when I saw that you can make this with less pasta and more veggies and it is delicious.
Don’t get too hung up on the exact quantities in this recipe. Want more garlic? Go for it. Want to use a different pasta shape? No problem! Play with it and make it your own.
Typically I would top this with fresh herbs, particularly basil, but since it is the dead of winter, I had to make do without.
Use as many veggies as you can fit in the casserole dish. In fact, you can easily reduce the amount of pasta to make room for more veggies, if you wish.
Although this is meant to be a baked pasta dish, if you’re in a huge hurry, you can also just stick it under the broiler until the cheese melts, but I like baking it a little to help the flavors all come together. Begin by sautéing the diced mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat. Once browned, add the zucchini (or whatever veggies you’re using) and salt. Sauté for a few more minutes. While the veggies cook, boil your pasta in salted water and drain when it’s still al dente. Do not overcook since it will cook slightly more in the oven. Reserve a little pasta water, in case you need it. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes to the veggies. Sauté about 30 seconds or so. Add the tomatoes, a little more salt, and stir it all together. Give it a few minutes to meld. Taste and see if it needs more salt or pepper flakes. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and give it a good stir. If it’s too thick, add a little pasta water. Pour the pasta and sauce into a casserole dish. Top the pasta with pieces of the fresh mozzarella and a little (or a lot) grated parmesan. Bake the pasta for about 15 minutes at 375. After baking, you can stick it under the broiler for a minute or two to brown the cheese, if you wish. Top with fresh herbs, if available, and devour. Baked Pasta with Vegetables and Mushrooms
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