I made this the other night and it was SO good, I just had to share!
1 pound or so of vegetable pasta (or any other kind...the vegetable penne is
beautiful)
Veggies, about 1 cup each:
brocolli florets (I cut them REALLY small)
sliced zuchinni
sliced fresh mushrooms
fresh vine-ripened tomatoes sliced in triangles
Plus:
1/2 cup sliced fresh carrots
10 or so black olives, sliced
2-4 green onions, chopped
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tsp italian seasoning (or 1 tsp each of oregano and basil)
2-4 cloves garlic crushed, pressed, smooshed
1 or 2 dried peppers sliced small, or 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers
salt and pepper to taste
Boil water for pasta. Start the steamer. Steam the brocolli and carrots for
about 3 minutes until BRIGHT green. Put pasta into boiling water. Add
zuchinni to the steaming veggies, steam for 2 more minutes. Add mushrooms
(not tomatoes). Take steaming veggies off heat and let the steam out. Put
the tomatoes in. You're going to heat them, not cook them. They retain that
wonderful fresh flavor that way. Add the olives too.
Drain the pasta then in that pot, saute the garlic and onion in some of the
broth. Add the spices. Stir until well mixed. Turn the heat down so the
"sauce" is simmering. You're going to reduce this by half to concentrate the
flavors. Take off the heat. Add the pasta and the veggies back in the pot
and toss to coat. This is not a "saucy" pasta. It's very light and
flavorful. Serve with a nice crusty bread or a fresh salad.
To me, the key was the vine-ripened tomatoes and the olives.