Name: Penne with Garden Vegetable Sauce
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Cuisine: ItalianEurope
Ingredients: ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pound cherry tomatoes , halved; 2 yellow bell peppers , stemmed, seeded, and chopped; 1 onion , chopped; 2 carrots , peeled and shredded; 1½ teaspoons table salt , plus salt for cooking pasta; ½ teaspoon pepper; ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms , rinsed and minced; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 4 garlic cloves , minced; 1 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried; ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ½ cup vegetable broth; 2 zucchini , quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick; 1 pound penne; ¼ cup chopped fresh basil; Grated Parmesan cheese

Why This Recipe Works

The trick to this recipe was figuring out how to get distinct pieces of crisp-tender vegetables with a saucy, flavorful base. We gathered a variety of veggies—zucchini, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers—and started sautéing. However, the flavors became too homogeneous and the vegetables cooked at different rates; some were mushy, while others were too crisp. We had better luck when we cooked the vegetables in two batches. First, we sautéed the tomatoes, onion, carrots, and bell peppers until the tomatoes started to break down and created a pasta- clinging sauciness that enveloped the just-tender carrots and peppers. Porcini mushrooms, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and just a little bit of red pepper flakes gave depth to the sauce without overwhelming the delicate vegetable flavors. We added the zucchini toward the very end to keep them from over cooking and turning mushy. A hefty portion of chopped basil, added just before serving, ensured that our dinner tasted—and looked—like it was fresh from the garden.

Instructions

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, carrots, 1½ teaspoons salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and tomatoes are broken down, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in mushrooms, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth and bring to simmer. Stir in zucchini and cook until zucchini is just tender, about 4 minutes. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before continuing with recipe.)

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add sauce and toss to combine. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve with Parmesan.