Recipe Wholewheat fusilli with roasted vegetables

[epicuric]

Wholewheat fusilli with roasted vegetables

I found this dish at a local gastlypub a few years ago. It was one of the only things on the menu that didn't scream "frozen then microwaved" and I liked it so much it has become a staple dish at home. It's incredibly quick and simple, very healthy and you can subsitute most of the ingredients with whatever you have to hand at the time.

Ingredients
Approximate, to serve 2

150g Wholewheat fusilli, or similar. (You can use regular pasta but wholewheat gives a much better texture)
1 Red onion, roughly sliced
1 Courgette/zucchini, sliced to 1cm thick
1 Aubergine/egg plant, sliced to 1cm thick, halve or quarter depending on size
1 Red or yellow pepper, cut into 2cm chunks
6 cherry tomatoes, halved (these only need half the cooking time of the other veg)
4 cloves of garlic, whole, skin on (optional)
Olive oil
Herbs for roasting - fresh sage or thyme, or dried oregano will do.
or
Fresh basil stirred in before serving.
Cheese for topping (I use a strong cheddar, but mozzarella, parmesan or even a blue cheese will work)

Method

1. Toss the vegetables, garlic and roasting herbs in olive oil in a roasting tray. Season and roast in a medium hot oven until soft and browned - about 25 mins or so.
2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following the manufacturers instructions. Drain and keep warm
3. When the vegetables are cooked, add them to the pasta along with any oil/juices from the roasting tray. You can either discard the garlic cloves or squeeze out the now soft garlic and add it. The roasting oil/juices will dress the pasta so you don't need an additional dressing.
4. Divide into serving bowls. At this stage, combine in the fresh basil if you are using this instead of roasting herbs
5. Grate/crumble cheeze on top and place dishes under a hot grill to melt, then serve immediately with a generous grate of black pepper if you wish.

Credit to Google images for the photo - it's the closest I could find as I don't have time to cook it and photograph it myself this week as my spare time is being taken up on a different cooking challenge (may reveal details on another post if I have time )

 

[Morning Glory]

Brilliant! Coincidentally I made something very similar last night (not with wholewheat) using red pepper, aubergine and courgettes. I cooked a tomato sauce separately and splashed a load of red wine in it, then added the roasted vegetables.

As its an entry to the Recipe Challenge, you need to tag this to the the thread. I'll do it for you - you just need to click on 'edit' in the top left of the post and then a dialogue box will come up. Just type in the tag you want to add.

 

[winterybella]

Loving this one here and I for one have been trying to use more whole wheat pasta. The only thing is that it has not been well received by the household. I think you got the linking right enough with help from @morning glory and I am happy to have you join the Challenge. Keep em coming!

 

[epicuric]

Brilliant! Coincidentally I made something very similar last night (not with wholewheat) using red pepper, aubergine and courgettes. I cooked a tomato sauce separately and splashed a load of red wine in it, then added the roasted vegetables.

As its an entry to the Recipe Challenge, you need to tag this to the the thread. I'll do it for you - you just need to click on 'edit' in the top left of the post and then a dialogue box will come up. Just type in the tag you want to add.

Thank you! It wouldn't do to get disqualified for under tagging

 

[epicuric]

Loving this one here and I for one have been trying to use more whole wheat pasta. The only thing is that it has not been well received by the household. I think you got the linking right enough with help from @morning glory and I am happy to have you join the Challenge. Keep em coming!

I have tried this recipe with regular pasta but it seems a bit slimy. Wholewheat is a bit drier, and it's far more chewy thus making it an ideal recipe for carnivores (like me!) having a meat free day.

 

[Morning Glory]

I have tried this recipe with regular pasta but it seems a bit slimy. Wholewheat is a bit drier, and it's far more chewy thus making it an ideal recipe for carnivores (like me!) having a meat free day.

I rather like wholemeal pasta. As you say, its more chewy. It depends on the sauce and some things suit wholemeal. But then there are things which suit a more delicate white pasta - like seafood; lobster, prawns, mussels, crab.