Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

I love food: preparing food, eating food, cuisine variety, watching Food Network (Giada De Laurentiis is my idol!) -  the food world fascinates me! Unlike many of you, I have no such luck at gardening and regularly attend the farmers market on Saturday mornings. If you happen to have an excess of vegetables from your garden, the farmers market, or the grocery store - listen up! This is by far my favorite summertime recipe and you can tweak it any way you’d like! Add shredded chicken, eggplant, and/or fresh herbs to give this recipe a personal twist. 

Total time: 1 hour 5 min
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20  min
Yield: 6 servings
Skill Level: Intermediate   

Ingredients

2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.
4. In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix, until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.
5. Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Do you have ideas on how to use your garden vegetables in this recipe or others?
Feel free to share! 

Recipe courtesy of: Giada De Laurentiis
Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/baked-penne-with-roasted-vegetables-recipe/index.html

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