Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce and Roasted Vegetables

It's been a while isn't it,well every time I blog I hope it isn't a one-time thing and plan to continue with it at least once in a week but life has other plans.I've decided to take it as it is and post as and when when time permits :)

We love having Pasta for dinner at least once in a week.I make it the same way every time,with lots of vegetables,white sauce and very less cheese.So when we were dining out once and I saw Pasta with tomato and cream sauce in a restaurant,I was anxious to try it and see how it tasted.I love having a blob of marinara sauce on my plate when I have pasta anyway,so I was sure I'd like it.

I wasn't wrong,the pasta was delicious.I wanted to try it at home and decided to go by my taste buds while adding the ingredients.To give it a healthy twist,I added some roasted vegetables as well.Paired with a cheesy garlic bread,this was a meal I was very eager to serve and eat :)

Check out other Pasta recipes here

Pasta with vegetables in white sauce
Whole-wheat Pasta in Roasted Red bell pepper sauce
Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce and Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

Mixed Vegetables - loosely 2 cups (I used Broccoli,Baby corn,Capsicum,Mushroom)
Onion - 1,cubed
Garlic - 2-3 cloves
Salt and Pepper to taste
Italian seasoning to taste
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Pasta - 1 cup,cooked al dente
Butter - 1 tbsp
Marinara sauce - 4 tbsp
Cream - 200 ml
Water-1 cup ( I used the water in which pasta was cooked)
Cheese - 1 cube (Amul)

For the garlic bread

Bread slices - 5-6
Garlic butter - 2-3 tsp
Grated cheese - 1 cube(Amul)

Method

Preheat oven to 200C.
In a baking tray mix together onion,garlic and the mixed vegetables.Add salt,pepper and Italian seasoning with Olive oil.Roast the vegetables for 20-25 minutes.
In a pan add butter and marinara sauce.
Mix well and add cream.Add enough water to make thin it down(I used about a cup).Add salt to taste.
Mix in the cooked pasta, roasted vegetables and cheese.

For the garlic bread - smear the garlic butter on each bread slice,top with grated cheese and bake for 5-7 minutes.

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Whole-wheat Pasta in Roasted Red Bell-pepper Sauce

It took a while for us to start liking Pasta but now we are so fond of it that at least once every week,one dinner is pasta.But we are quite particular how our pasta should taste-loaded with veggies in a cunning white cheese sauce,okay I do cut back on the cheese most of the time and thin down the sauce with the water in which pasta was cooked,but yeah you get the drift,don't you?

Long back,I had made marinara sauce from scratch and added pasta to it but we didn't like the flavor much,not as much as we did the white sauce.So I was wary to try this one out but the roasted pepper sauce with cream sounded too good not to try.I tried it with whole-wheat pasta from Fabindia but regular pasta should work fine too.
Whole-wheat Pasta in Roasted Red Bell-pepper Sauce
Recipe source - The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper - 1,whole
Almonds - 5-6
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium,finely chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves,finely chopped
Cream - 1/2 cup
Cheese - 1/4 cup grated
Parsley flakes - 1 tsp
Whole-wheat Pasta - 1 cup (or any Pasta of your choice)
Broccoli - 1/2 cup,chopped
Salt to taste

Method

 
Roast the bell pepper on a high flame for about 5-7 minutes,or until the pepper is burnt/charred on the outside.Set aside on a plate until cool to the touch.
 
Peel off the charred skin and cut open the pepper,remove the tip and the inside membranes.Chop the pepper roughly.
 
Into a mixer jar,add the chopped pepper and the almonds and grind to a smooth paste.Keep aside.
 
Meanwhile cook the pasta in salted boiling water for about 8 minutes or until al-dente.Whole-wheat pasta is best under cooked or else it will turn into a mush while stirring-you don't want that!
 
When the pasta is almost done(about 6 minutes)add the broccoli and cook it along with the pasta.
Remove a cup of the water in which the pasta was cooked and drain the pasta.
 
In a pan add olive oil and the chopped garlic.Mix in the chopped onion and stir until it turns soft.
 
Pour in the red pepper sauce.Add salt to taste,parsley flakes and mix in the cream.
 
Add the cheese and the cooked pasta-broccoli and mix well.If you feel the sauce is too thick,thin it down with the reserved water in which the pasta was cooked.

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Pasta..as we like it! | Pasta with Vegetables in White Sauce

I contemplated for a while before posting this recipe here.Primarily,the pictures are not so blog worthy and more so taken in my kitchen during dinner time and secondly,this is a recipe which works best for us,not so sure about Pasta lovers.But then,what good is a recipe if not shared and posted on the blog anyway!

From disliking Pasta in any form to having it at least once a week for dinner,we've come a long way.Since we were not very fond of Pasta served at restaurants,I cook up a recipe specifically for our taste every once in a while.Dunked in white sauce with an array of vegetables and a served with a blob of Pasta sauce(yes!)is more like Pasta made our way.Sometimes,I bake the whole thing and served with some garlic bread on the side,it makes for a delicious gourmet meal:)

We love Penne & Macaroni as it soaks up the sauce and keeps the pasta warm for a while,you can try this with any pasta of your choice.Add vegetables which you like,add more cheese for variety(think cheddar!)and customize it according to your taste.

 
Pasta with Vegetables in White Sauce

Ingredients

Macaroni - 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables of your choice - I used Broccoli,Mushroom,Carrot & Baby Corn- all together loosely 2 cups,chopped
Onion - 1,chopped finely
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Flour - 2 tbsp
Milk - 2 1/2 cups
Salt and Pepper to taste
Dried herbs of your choice - 1/2 tsp each (we like Basil and Oregano)
Amul Cheese cube - 1,finely chopped (you can add any cheese of your choice)

Method
 
Cook the pasta - In a deep pan add around 10 cups of water to boil.Add a tbsp of salt.When the water comes to a rolling boil,tip in the pasta.Cook for 12-13 minutes or until the pasta is cooked 'al dente'.Immediately drain the pasta to a pan of cold water.Drain again and keep aside.
 
Cook the vegetables - I usually add the vegetables to the pasta during the last 5 minutes so that the pasta and the vegetables cook together.You can do this separately too.
 
In a kadai/wok add the olive oil and saute onions and mushrooms till soft.Add it to the cooked vegetables and keep aside.
 
In the same wok,add butter+olive oil.Mix in the flour and saute for 2-3 minutes.Mix in the milk little at a time stirring all the while so that no lumps form.Let it come to a boil-it will look thin in the beginning but with start thickening as it cooks.
 
Add salt and pepper to taste.Mix in the dried herbs and the cheese.
 
Now add the cooked vegetables along with the sauteed mushrooms and onions to the sauce and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce coats the pasta and vegetables.Check for seasoning.
Serve hot.



Notes

• You can make the pasta plain without vegetables or add more vegetables of your choice like tomato,corn,zucchini etc.I have added vegetables of our choice,I make a plain version with only broccoli too-the possibilities are endless.
• Follow the directions for cooking pasta as it can go from cooked to overcooked in no time.I cook the pasta for exactly 12 minutes and usually add the carrots/baby corn during the last 6-7 minutes and Broccoli during the last 3 minutes.
• Do not throw away the water in which you cooked the pasta and vegetables-it contains starch and can be used to thin down the white sauce if it becomes too thick.

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Macaroni Alfredo

The only time I ever tasted Pasta was from a friend’s plate when we ordered it in a Continental[Duh..where else] restaurant.I dared not order a whole plate for myself since I wasn’t so sure I would like it after I threw away the whole lot of the famous S pasta treat when I made it at home.I instantly disliked it[the readymade one].My friends told me I tried out the wrong one and I should try having pasta at an Italian restaurant and I will love it etc etc.

I’ll be honest-anything dunked in cheesy,creamy white sauce would taste good,really.All you pasta lovers out there-Don’t start throwing your pasta at me..;).

I wanted to make it at home after seeing a very simple recipe in my Microwave cookbook.After all,how difficult can it be..and as they say,anything home-made ought to taste better.So I donned my apron and went about making Pasta yesterday.

It is a super simple recipe.I added extra veggies just in case the pasta doesn’t come out good,at least we could munch on the veggies..lol.Well,guess what,we liked the Macaroni Alfredo-not my creation,that’s the dish name.Not actually loooved it,but yes,it tasted good.The best part is,it can be made in the Microwave.No checking for lumps in the white sauce-there wouldn’t be any,if you follow the exact procedure.Now let me not waste anymore time of yours.Here’s the recipe.

Macaroni Alfredo

Recipe adapted from Nita Mehta’s IFB Microwave Cookbook

Ingredients

Uncooked Macaroni – 1 cup
Mixed Vegetables – about 2 cups-I used Broccoli,Cauliflower,Carrot,Corn&Capsicum
Butter – 2 tbsp
Oregano – 1 tsp
Onion – 1,chopped
Maida/Flour – 2 ½ tbsp
Milk – 1 ¾ cups
Salt to taste
Pepper – ½ tsp
Red chilly Flakes – ½ tsp
Mozarella cheese -100 grams,grated[I used about 4 tbsp]
Cream – ½ cup[I did not add]

Method

Put 1 ½ cups of water & 1 tsp oil in a deep microproof bowl.Microwave uncovered for 3 minutes.

Add macaroni.Mix & Microwave uncovered for 5 minutes.

Let it stand in hot water for 5 more minutes,drain and wash well with cold water.

In another microproof flat dish,microwave butter for 30 seconds.

Add oregano,onion and vegetables.Microwave uncovered for 5 minutes.

Add flour,microwave for 30 seconds.

Add milk,salt,pepper,red chilly flakes.Mix well and microwave uncovered for 6 minutes stirring once every 2 minutes.[It would be quite thick and creamy at this stage]

Add cooked macaroni,cream[I added ¼ cup milk] and half of grated cheese.Mix well.

Sprinkle the other half on top and microwave for 2 minutes.[I grilled the same for 5 minutes for that crispy layer on top].

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