I had this one for dinner last night – subbing two cups of shrimp for the pasta – and it was off-the-charts good.
Ingredients
- 2 cups red grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 cups yellow grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 – 2 zucchini diced
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and sliced thin
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup plain whole wheat breadcrumbs seasoned as you like (I use basil, parsley, paprika and red pepper flakes), or use whole wheat panko if you would like more crunch
- 1 pound whole wheat pasta or Udon brown rice pasta
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. “Butter” (I use Earth Balance) an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish.
Place the tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, pine nuts and tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes.
While vegetables are in oven, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese if desired and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.
As mentioned, when I had this, I substituted 2 cups cooked shrimp for the pasta. (I’m not a big pasta guy.) But, I bet you could also swamp a large spaghetti squash for the pasta as well. (Which is what I do for most dishes that include pasta.)
