Simple Pasta with Zucchini

Zucchini/courgettes is one of my favorite vegetable. I try to make a wide range of dishes from soups to dhals and curries, during summer when the vegetable tastes its best.This is a super simple recipe, which I happened to taste in a small motel /restaurant in  Rome.We reached the place very late in the night after a hectic flight journey from Brussels, the motel owner who himself was a chef was very kind enough to whip up this quick pasta for us at that time of the night. This is a perfect example of great food with less, but good quality ingredients.

Ingredients


4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil.
2 zucchini cut into bite sized pieces
4 cloves garlic
2 tblsp coarse pepper.
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Any pasta of your choice.(I used Rigatoni)


Method:
Cook the pasta as per the package instructions
Heat the oil in a wide pan, add garlic and fry for a minute.
Add the zucchini piece and stir for about 2 - 3 minutes
Add the dried oregano, mix well.
Now add the cooked pasta and toss well to coat.
 Finally add the coarse black pepper and mix well.
Enjoy with soup or salad.





Sending this recipe to Priya's VFAM - Zucchini event guest hosted at Vardhini's.

Spicy Spaghetti with Broccoli

Spicy Spaghetti with Broccoli
This pasta recipe does not require any creamy sauce or tomatoes.It just absorbs all the spiciness from the seasoning and can be had on its own.It can also be served along with some interesting side dish such as chicken/eggplant  parmisiana or with some oven roasted vegetables.
This recipe is adapted from the FoodNetwork website and is by the Chef  'Giada De Laurentiis'. I love all her recipes especially the veggie ones, very simple yet delicious.

Ingredients:
200gm packet of Spaghetti Pasta.
1 broccoli cut into florets
4 cloves of galic finely chopped
1 tsp of dried oregano
4 - 5 red chillie broken

Method.
Cook the pasta as per instructions.

Save some of the liquid about  half a cup while draining the pasta.

In a wide pan add 2 tsp of olive oil.

Add chopped garlic and the redchillies to the hot oil.

To this add the broccoli florets , oregano, sprinkle some salt,  give it a stir .
Now add the reserved water from the pasta and let it come to a boil.
Add the cooked pasta and mix well till all the water is absorbed by the pasta

Serve with any of your favorite side dish.

Here is another recipe - Veggie Lasagna adapted from Giada De Laurentiis Food network recipes, which I cherish the most. This dish is loaded with vegetables rich in vitamins and antioxidants. I had posted this recipe in 2006. Reposting  the picture and the link here again just for you all to have a glance and enjoy.

Both these pasta are going to the pasta party by Jyoti at Panch Pakwan

Veggie Lasagna

Veggie Lasagna
I love Italian food, especially pasta of any kind. I used to think Lasagna as this one great Italian dish which is very complicated to make . One day I came across a program by
Giade De Laurentiies in the FoodNetwork about Individual vegetable Lasagna which made me completely change my opinion about this particular recipe. I like her way of presentation, she usually narrates the process slowly and in such a way that you feel like trying it immediately , if you have all the ingredients with you. That weekend I got some lasagna pasta and all other Ingredients needed.However I tailored the recipe to suit my convenience..hey that's how new recipes are born right.
There are a few things that I changed from the original recipe

Firstly The Original recipe calls for home made sauce, but I did'nt have the patience to make the whole pasta sauce my self, So I took the store's help and bought some Prego pasta sauce.
Secondly I changed white beans to our favorite Rajma/kidney beans.
And the main change is I made the Lasagna in a whole casserole, rather than individual ..Other than that the procedure is the same.
Since this dish contains more vegetables , spinach, and beans its very wholesome and filling meal in itself. Here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy this ...


Ingredients

1/2 bottle of Pasta sauce
8 strips Lasagna Pasta
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup sliced Onions
1 cup chopped and cooked spinach
1 cup rajma soaked for 6 hrs and cooked /1 can kidney beans
1 cup shredded mozarrella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese





Method:
Preheat the Oven to 375F
Stir fry chopped onions, carrots and zucchini and keep aside

• Stir fri one cup spinach unil cooked and keep aside
• Cook Rajma in a pressure cooker and keep aside
• Cook the pasta in a deep vessel as per the cooking instructions on the packet
• Now Take a casserole dish and spread 3 tsp of pasta sauce at the bottom.
• Place the Lasagna pasta in single layer.If the pasta is too lengthy for your casserole dish, you can cut according to the size of your dish.
• Over this layer spread the stir fried vegetables.spread 3tsp of saue over the spread.
  

• Now again place a layer of pasta sheets.


• Over this layer spread the spinach and rajma beans.Spread 3 tsp of the sauce over this.




• Now place the final layer of pasta over the rajma and spinach spread.

Spread the sauce liberally over the pasta at this stage

Sprinkle the cheeses well over the Sauce.

Place the Casserole in the Oven and bake for 20 mins or until the cheeses melt and turns a little bit golden.

I had posted this recipe way back in 2006, Iam reposting it as I thought this would be an apt entry for" My Favourite things :Cheese" event hosted by Poornima at "Tasty Treats" originated at "InloveWithFood" by Bindhya.

This also goes to "FIC : My Favourite Event" hosted at "TastyCurryLeaf" for my favorite color Red.This event originated at SunshineMom

Minty Couscous

Posting the recipe for the minty couscous that I made the other day along with stuffed tomatoes.This is my first attempt on couscous. I prepared it just like rava kichadi using bell peppers, except that I used olive oil instead of ghee. The result was not disappointing.
I think it goes along great with coconut chutney, but I was already tired preparing and clicking my tomatoes, we decided to just have it on its own, with stuffed tomatoes on the side.

Ingredients:
1 cup couscous
1 medium onion sliced
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 medium bellpepper sliced
1 green chilli slit
1 cup chopped olives(optional)
a hand full of mint leaves

Method. In a pot, add the olive oil. When its hot add the garlic, onion and gren chili.Fry till opaque. Add the bellpeppers ,salt and fry well. Add 2 cups of water, throw in the mint and olives, close and allow it to boil. When the water is boiling , add the couscous and stir well. Close with a lid , simmer and cook for 10 minutes


Note

• We can also add some tomatoes and peas and other vegetables as per taste
• It does not stick like Rava, so need not worry about lumps.
• Amount of water may differ depending on the brand of couscous we use.

Off this goes to Ammalu's kitchen for the Herb Mania - Mint