Roasted Vegetables Become Pasta Primavera

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Published on Saturday, April 17, 2010 20:15

Written by David Latt

Can't get the kids to eat their veggies on your family vacation? Caramelizing vegetables turns ho-hum into yum-yum and all it takes is a roasting pan and a little olive oil.

Roasted vegetables make an excellent side dish that works well with fish, chicken or meat. Healthy and inexpensive, veggies also add levels of flavor to grilled chicken breast, hamburger patties, or sautéed fish.

Moreover, vegetables take little time to prepare, and they keep in the refrigerator for days. Translation: You can prepare them ahead and use them when it suits you.

If truth be told, they can even be frozen. When reheated, no one will be the wiser.

No w: Roasted Vegetables

What you roast is up to you. Try tomatoes, carrots, broccoli and corn on the cob during the summer,. Not your cup of tea? There’s always mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, onions, garlic cloves, squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts, fennel, leeks....

Choose your vegetables for taste and appearance. The Italians certainly got it right when they perfected this technique and aesthetic. A plate of roasted vegetables can be as picturesque as a flower arrangement.

Both our boys were early eaters of vegetables because we roasted or—in the summer—grilled them. The technique is the same for either; toss the vegetables in olive oil, season with sea salt and pepper, and cook until they retain some crunch but are lightly browned.

If you live in an area with farmers' markets, take advantage of them. Walking past the farmers’ tables will give you ideas. When the cherry tomatoes are in season, red and orange baskets are everywhere. Buy a couple and use one basket in salads and the other for roasting, to serve as a side dish or added to pastas and soups.

Yield 4 servings with leftovers (which you'll need for the Later recipe)

Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

4 large carrots, washed, peeled, cut into ¼” thick rounds or ¼” thick slabs 1 ½” long
2 medium sized yellow onions, washed, peeled and cored, cut into quarters
4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed, washed, cut into 2”  long sections
2 bunches asparagus, washed, tough ends trimmed off
2 large heads of broccoli, washed, the end trimmed, sliced into 1"” wide pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
Sea salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, drizzle olive oil over the vegetables. Season with sea salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Put the vegetables into the roasting pan, and place in the oven for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes for even cooking.

Each vegetable takes a different amount of time to cook, so check each one for doneness before you remove them from the oven. Serve immediately 

Later: Pasta Primavera West Coast Style

Because the vegetables can be kept refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen for several weeks, this is a great last-minute meal when you're feeling rushed.

On the West Coast we love vegetables, so anything goes, as I said above. Roast or grill whatever you like.

Yield 4 servings

Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups roasted vegetables, roughly chopped
1 pound pasta, spaghetti, fusilli, ziti or penne
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sweet butter
1 1/2  cups pasta water, reserved after boiling
Sea salt and pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste

Directions

Boil a large pot of water. Add salt and pasta. To prevent sticking, stir well throughout the cooking, following package directions. Put a heatproof cup or measuring cup that can hold 1 ½cups into the sink next to the strainer. When you drain the pasta, capture 1 ½cups of pasta water. Set aside.

Put the pasta back into the pot. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the pasta. Toss well. Season with sea salt and pepper. Toss. To keep the pasta warm, place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pot but do not seal. Set aside.

Put the roasted vegetables in a large frying pan, on a medium flame. Add ½ cup of the pasta water, remaining tablespoon of olive oil and butter, and reduce over a medium flame for 5 minutes. Toss the vegetables to coat.

Add the pasta and another ½ cup of pasta water. Toss the pasta and vegetables to mix well. If you need more liquid, add more of the pasta water.

Just before serving, pour the pasta, broth and vegetables into a large bowl. Serve with the grated cheese alongside.

Variations

To add heat, put ¼ teaspoon of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne when you’re heating the vegetables.

Add Italian parsley, leaves only, finely chopped.

Add 2 cups sliced cooked chicken breast.

Add 1 cup of raw shrimp, washed, deveined and roughly chopped to the vegetables when you add the pasta water.