Cheesy Baked Penne with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Seasonal Vegetables

(from castro15’s recipe box)

Categories: Pasta

Ingredients

  • Seasonal Vegetables
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 2 sprigs fresh basil
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 8 oz. penne pasta
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 2 cups Tomato sauce all Vodka (see recipe)
  • 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 tbsp. grated Parmesan
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Winter:
  • 1/2 bunch collard greens, stems and leaves thinly sliced
  • Spring:
  • 1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Summer:
  • 1 large zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise
  • Fall:
  • 8 oz. cremini or wild mushrooms, sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400.

  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat for the pasta.

  3. Prepare the seasonal vegetables. Mince the garlic. Cut half the mozzarella into 1/4-inch dice and thinly slice the remainder. Roughly tear the basil leaves. Roughly chop the oregano leaves. Strip the thyme leaves from the stems.

  4. Add the penne and a generous pinch of salt to the boiling water. Cook until just a bit too al dente to eat, with a slight bite, about 2 minutes less than the lower range on the package instructions. Drain the pasta.

  5. Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the seasonal veggies, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Saute until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Remove the pan from the heat.

  6. Add the drained penne to the veggies and stir to combine. Add the ricotta and cubed mozzarella and stir to distribute evenly. Pat down into an even layer, then scatter the sliced mozzarella and grated Parmesan on top.

  7. Cover with foil and bake until the sauce is bubbling around the sides, 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the broiler to high. Uncover the penne and broil until the cheese is golden and bubbling, 3-5 minutes.

  8. Allow penne to cool for about 5 minutes, then garnish with the basil and serve.

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