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Pasta Primavera

Great Way to Get Kids to Eat Veggies

Pasta Primavera

(Donna Svennevik/ABC)

From the kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

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Servings: 6-8

Difficulty: Easy

Cook Time: 1-30 min

"This colorful sauce is a simpler, lighter version of the primavera sauce most often encountered. Feel free to substitute other veggies, as desired. As you will see, this makes a very large batch of pasta, enough for six to eight healthy appetites."

-Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1 pound rotini or penne pasta

5 tablespoons butter

2 cups chopped red onions

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 teaspoons salt, plus more for the pasta water

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

11/2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 pound zucchini or yellow squash (or a mixture of both), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch half-moon pieces (about 4 cups)

2 cups frozen mixed peas and carrots

1 cup diced canned tomatoes, with juices

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

1/2 cup thinly sliced basil (optional)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cooking Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini and cook until just tender, about 11 minutes. Drain, reserving 3 /4 cup of the cooking water, and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a 14-inch sauté pan over medium-high

heat. Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until soft, 4 minutes. Add the 2 teaspoons salt, black pepper, and garlic, and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the squash and continue to cook, stirring as needed, for 2 minutes. Add the peas and carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water to the sauce and cook until the pasta is heated through and the ingredients are well combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and basil, if desired. Then drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil. Garnish with more cheese, if desired, and serve hot.

6 to 8 servings

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, from Emeril 20-40-60, HarperStudio Publishers, New York, 2009, copyright MSLO, Inc.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Total: 30 minutes