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| Fresh Vegetable Pasta |
 ckelson writes, "My last favorite comfort food I enjoy during these winter months is pasta, aahh; everyone together now "pastahhhh."
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There is just something soothing about a plate full of noodles with a fresh, bright sauce on top. Over the years, I have made many different kinds of sauces depending on the ingredients I had on hand. Some, my children have liked, some-not-so-much, but this sauce I am sharing with you today they devoured and asked for seconds! I was especially excited for this reaction because it is loaded with colorful, healthy, fresh vegetables. This sauce is bright, refreshing and savory in a Mexican-salsa kind of way. Because of its viscosity, it is best suited for an angel hair, linguine or spaghetti style noodle; however, it can definitely be enjoyed with any type of noodle you have in your pantry. Give it a go!
Fresh Vegetable Pasta
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6 adults
Ingredients:
1/2 cup yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup zucchini, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, coarsely chopped - I used a mixture of green, yellow and orange bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup cooked sweet potato - I used left-over cooked sweet potato. You could also use cooked butternut squash or pumpkin puree.
1/2 cup apple, coarsely chopped (optional; for natural sweetener)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup mushrooms, coarsely chopped (optional: for umami-rich/deep flavor)
1 cup fresh basil leaves + more for a fresh toss on top of the pasta
1/2 cup fresh oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 - 14.5 oz cans of tomatoes - they can be diced, but I prefer the organic whole tomatoes by Muir Glen
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup water or more if needed
1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar (optional)
1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
Directions:
This may seem like a lot of ingredients, but essentially just use whatever vegetables you may have in your fridge. Toss all these coarsely chopped vegetables into a food processor or blender-type appliance and give it a good buzz - starting with yellow squash ingredient down the list to the cans of tomatoes. The machine will puree everything for you. Just make sure you don't overload your machine - work in batches until the ingredients are pureed. Pour the puree into a large pot, add chicken stock and water.
Stir and bring mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil for 2 minutes then reduce the heat to a mild simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes. (If you would like the sauce to be smoother, use an immersion blender or regular blender and puree again; for ultra-smooth, strain the twice pureed sauce through a fine mesh sieve).
Before you serve, adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Add brown sugar if it needs to be sweetened, but be careful not to over sweeten. The slight bitter note that is in this sauce is an indispensable palate cleanser and can be overpowered by too much sugar. (Bitterness is an essential component to cooking because you tire less quickly of the flavors and are eager for the next bite).
Finally, adjust the brightness by using our favorite ingredient mate: an acid - vinegar or lemon juice will do.
Serve with angel hair, linguine or spaghetti style pasta with fresh basil on top and garlicky crusty bread; forget about the side of veggies, they're in the sauce! Enjoy.
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Posted on Jan 29, 2012 08:19am.
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