Massimo Criscio and Chef Dino from Italy’s Palazzo Tour d’Eau made Classic Pasta Primavera and talked about the 7-Day Coco’s Gourmet Tours to Italy. For more information on Coco's Gourmet Tours to Italy, visit www.DestinationItalyByCocos.com, contact Chuck or Cynthia Cinelli at (615) 678-6318 or email reservations@cocostravelagency.com.
CLASSIC PASTA PRIMAVERA
INGREDIENTS:
16 oz dried pasta (penne, rigatoni, castellane or other similar shape)
4 cups hot water
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 T Italian olive oil
1 T pesto or 2 T lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 c shredded parmigiana
2 T parsley
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
First Boil the Pasta. Bring a pot of salted water to a rapid boil (do not add oil) then cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
While the pasta is boiling cook the veggies. To do so, heat olive oil in a 12-inch deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, zucchini, eggplant and peppers. Saute for 2 minutes or until soft.
Pour veggies into a serving bowl, add drained pasta, a high-quality Italian olive oil and a tablespoon of pesto. If you do not have pesto available add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. Season with a little more salt as needed and toss while adding in a little pasta water to loosen as desired.
Toss in parmigiana and parsley then serve with remaining Parmesan on top.
If you are looking to add a protein to this recipe, Italian sausage or grilled chicken breasts works perfectly.
NOTE: For the choice of vegetables there really are no rules, just use up all those veggies in the fridge. This is a great way to add a lot of vegetables into your diet and enjoy either as a side dish or the main course.
