I had some vegetables sitting in my fridge, as usual and I wasn't sure what to make with them. I didn't want to make anything too heavy. Something slightly healthy that my husband could enjoy with me. I decided on a ratatouille, roasted ratatouille pasta! As far as I am concerned, if there is pasta involved, I'm down! My last few recipes have had a theme; eggplant! My husband and myself were pretty sick of eggplant; "no more eggplant" we both agreed, "hold on the sauce too, kinda sick of sauce."
So, no eggplant, or "sauce" in this ratatouille, and it was my first time making it...which has also been a trend it seems with me too, but that's okay! I'm learning! I hope you do too! I followed a recipe. Rachel Ray. Not exactly to what is on the site. I always alter my recipe from what I read from.
I used... one cucumber and two different types of squash and I am not sure what they are possibly butternut.
So, no eggplant, or "sauce" in this ratatouille, and it was my first time making it...which has also been a trend it seems with me too, but that's okay! I'm learning! I hope you do too! I followed a recipe. Rachel Ray. Not exactly to what is on the site. I always alter my recipe from what I read from.
I used... one cucumber and two different types of squash and I am not sure what they are possibly butternut.
What You Need:
- Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling. (Go extra on it, it won't hurt. )
- 1 head garlic
- 1 large cucumber, peeled and cubed into small chunks. ( I didn't peel mine and it wasn't so nice; peel yours!)
- 1 medium sized gourd squash, peeled and cubed into small chunks.
- 1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and cubed into small chunks.
- 1 Teaspoon(-/+) thyme. I did a few small pinches for the vegetables and tomatoes separate.
- Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 can of whole, peeled tomatoes
- 1 pound whole wheat pasta; penne, spaghetti, whatever you want. I used a multigrain for the first time in a long time; to try to be healthier. Make a separate batch for the husband! :-)
- 2 fresh basil leaves, cut small.
- 1/2 cup (a large handful) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano...or regular Parmesan, whatever you have. Hey, even a sharp provolone would do some good!
Preheat oven to 450ºF. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil.
Mine ended up boiling after about twenty minutes or so and I just left it until it was time to add the pasta.
Cut a sliver off the top of the garlic head just large enough to expose the cloves. Tear off a large square of aluminum foil and place the garlic in the center. Drizzle a small amount of EVOO over the head and wrap the foil up around it.
Place in the oven and roast until golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. While the garlic is roasting, cut up the veggies and place everything except the tomatoes on one, or if you have more vegetables, two large baking sheets, along with the thyme sprinkled on top.
Once the veggies have been in the oven for about 10 minutes, place the tomatoes onto another baking sheet, drizzle them with EVOO and salt, pepper and thyme. Add to oven with the other veggies and roast until they have burst and shrived slightly, about 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle fresh basil on top of each tomato.
Once the garlic has been roasting for about 15 minutes, drizzle the veggies with EVOO and season them with some salt and freshly ground black pepper, and thyme. Roast them in the oven until tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
Mine ended up boiling after about twenty minutes or so and I just left it until it was time to add the pasta.
Cut a sliver off the top of the garlic head just large enough to expose the cloves. Tear off a large square of aluminum foil and place the garlic in the center. Drizzle a small amount of EVOO over the head and wrap the foil up around it.
Place in the oven and roast until golden brown and tender, about 45 minutes. While the garlic is roasting, cut up the veggies and place everything except the tomatoes on one, or if you have more vegetables, two large baking sheets, along with the thyme sprinkled on top.
Once the veggies have been in the oven for about 10 minutes, place the tomatoes onto another baking sheet, drizzle them with EVOO and salt, pepper and thyme. Add to oven with the other veggies and roast until they have burst and shrived slightly, about 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle fresh basil on top of each tomato.
Once the garlic has been roasting for about 15 minutes, drizzle the veggies with EVOO and season them with some salt and freshly ground black pepper, and thyme. Roast them in the oven until tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes.
Once the veggies have about 10 minutes left to go, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook to personal taste or package directions.
(I skipped this step) Before draining the pasta, ladle about 3/4 cup or so of the pasta cooking liquid into a large serving bowl. Drain the pasta and reserve.
Add everything to a large bowl, stir it a few times and eat!
Once the garlic is done roasting, allow it to cool enough to handle, then hold the head in your hand over the bowl with the pasta water and squeeze out all of the roasted cloves into the bowl. Add the tomatoes and mash everything together.The garlic was extremely hot, even when I let it rest for about fifteen minutes. It's hard to do, fun, but ouch! Be careful!!! And watch out for the little outer flaky skins, they like to sneak in with the nice roasted garlic mush on the way into the bowl!
Add everything to a large bowl, stir it a few times and eat!
