We L-O-V-E baked pasta. The crispy edges and cheesy goodness always takes me to a happy place. In the summer months we don't do as much pasta or baking; it's just too hot!! But, when I saw this Cooking Light recipe in a MyRecipes.com email, I knew I had to make it soon. After making several modifications, this was a fantastic pasta and Keith loved it! I added some shredded rotisserie chicken to it to satisfy him, but that's totally optional. The leftovers were also superb.
Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables
Ingredients:
6 ounces uncooked ziti or penne pasta (really whatever pasta you like)
1 cup shredded cooked chicken (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow squash
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups seeded and chopped tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Italian blend cheese, divided
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano (I used 1 tsp dried)
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking Spray
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan. Add
squash, zucchini, and onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomato, mushrooms and garlic;
sauté 3 minutes. Remove from heat; I moved this mixture to a large bowl so I had room to stir. Add in pasta, chicken (optional), 1/2 cup cheese,
herbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
Combine ricotta, remaining salt, and egg in another dish. Stir into pasta
mixture. Spoon into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated
with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 400°
for 15 minutes or until bubbly and browned.
