ROASTED VEGGIE PASTA PIE…A welcome vegetarian option!

PENNE & ROASTED VEGETABLES IN A PASTA PIE

This is my entry for 3 great blog events…

1. ‘Enter a Great Recipe Featuring Vegetables and Herbs From Monday October 8 until Sunday October 14’… Here is my entry for the Weekend Herb Blogging Two Year Anniversary.
2. Andrea’s GYO (Grow Your Own) that invites you to make a dish that uses at least one item from your very own garden, anything edible, and post about it. I have used sweet basil for this, which grows beautifully in our front yard.
3. Coffee & Vanilla’s ‘Vegetarian Awareness Month’ which is a fun way to help others learn about the benefits of vegetarianism. Do visit the VAM homepage for more information. I try and include as many veggies in the kids diet as I possibly can, one way or another, letting them know about the health benefits, nutrition etc. As they say…’Teach ’em young!’

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I put this together with many inputs from here and there. As always, am forever looking for avenues to get more veggies into the kids, one way or another…the happier the way, the better for me!! My sister suggested roasting a bunch of seasonal veggies and tossing them into cooked pasta with a dressing. I thought…why not!! Once I started roasting the veggies, I had a brainwave. Toss them into a pasta sauce first…that’ll disguise ’em. One thing led to another, and everything finally found its way into a pie dish, basil & all……LOOKED GOOD, TASTED GREAT!!

Sweet Basil is an annual or perennial of tropical Asia with spikes of small white flowers and aromatic leave; one of the most important culinary herbs; used in salads, casseroles, sauces and some liqueurs.

Boccaccio’s story of Isabella and the Pot of Basil, immortalized by Keats, keeps the plant in our memory . It was formerly grown in English herb gardens. Tusser includes it among the Strewing herbs and Drayton places it first in his poem Polyolbion.

‘With Basil then I will begin
Whose scent is wondrous pleasing.’

ROASTED VEGETABLES
Ingredients:
Pasta – 350-400gms (penne,fusili…or any short pasta of choice), cooked
Red bell pepper – 1 / chopped
Yellow bell pepper – 1/ chopped
Aubergines – 3 long ones/ chopped
Spring onions – 4 / chopped including stems
Olive Oil – 2 tbsps
Mixed dry herbs – 2 tsps (I used Italian grill seasoning)

Method:

• Put all the chopped veggies in a big bowl. Toss well with the oil and seasoning.
• Turn out onto a foil lined baking tray .
• Grill on high for 20 minutes, stirring once after 10 minutes to ensure both sides of veggies roasted.

PASTA SAUCE
Ingredients:
Tomatoes – 6-7/peeled and chopped
Tomato puree – 100ml
Garlic – 5-6 cloves / finely chopped
Onion – 1 / finely chopped
Red chili flakes – ½ tsp
Oregano – 1 tsp
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive Oil – 2 tbsps

Method:

• Put the garlic and onions into a pan with the olive oil. Add the oregano and red chili flakes. Now sauté on low flame for approx 5 minutes till the onions and garlic are soft, and the flavours mature. Make sure the garlic doesn’t brown.
• Add the tomatoes + puree + seasoning. Simmer, covered for 20-25 minutes, until done, and the oil is visible on the sides.
• Cool a bit, and then run the hand blender through it for a slightly smoother sauce. (Works better with kids this way).

WHITE SAUCE:
Ingredients:
Butter – 2 tbsps
Flour – ¼ cup
Milk – 2 ¼ cups (keep an extra ¼ cup on hand)
Cheddar Cheese – 4-5 tbsps /grated (increase or decrease)
Salt to taste

Method:

• Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pan.
• Add the flour and mix in well with a whisk, and cook for 2-3 minutes whisking constantly.
• Add the milk bit by bit, mixing in with the whisk.
• It will thicken once it boils for a while.
• Now add the grated cheese and salt.
• Take off heat and set aside. It will continue to thicken as it stands.

TO FINISH:
Fresh basil – 12-14 leaves/ chopped
Breadcrumbs – ½ cup

• Preheat oven to 180 deg C .
• Take a 9 X 13 glass pie dish.
• Put a layer of ½ the cooked pasta. Top with ½ the pasta sauce. Sprinkle with ½ the chopped basil leaves.
• Put a second layer of the remaining cooked pasta, then the rest of the pasta sauce and remaining basil leaves.
• Spread the white sauce over the top, making holes with a skewer in a few places for the white sauce to seep in.
• Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the dish, and bake for 15-20 minutes till the top in lightly browned.
• Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes in oven, and then serve with a green salad if you like.

Note: This can be put together till the white sauce stage on the day before. Cover tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate. Microwave for 3-4 minutes the next day, sprinkle the breadcrumbs, and bake as above.

Baked with a wonderful golden crust…just waiting to be served!