Pasta - Tangy Vegetarian Style

I love pasta and Abhishek is so unlike me, does not like Italian much. So I keep looking for a reason to cook pasta at home..Yesterday was one such occasion. Rohit & Shikha were coming over and I knew they both eat pasta, just that they are vegetarian, so I had to do a veggie type pasta. For that I had frozen veggies, fresh baby carrots, a capsicum (green pepper) and of course onions. I had some Italian dressing as well, left in a big bottle which I wanted to use up sooner. So it was time I became the Italian Maestro Chef ;)

I had the shell pasta at home, healthy ones (the wheat variety) and also the spiral Rotini types, but I settled for the Conchiglie - which is more commonly referred to as the 'shells' variety of pasta or also as 'seashells', coz they kind of look like sea-shells. Hey, but you can use any pasta that you want or have!

I don't like cheese at all, so none there in my pasta.

I wanted the outcome (the pasta!!) to be on the sourish side but I did not use lemon or vinegar directly. Yeah, it definitely came into the pasta indirectly, through the Italian vinaigrette and Seasoning that I used, also not to forget the ripe red tomatoes that went in it. So the result was lemony yummy..

What's a pasta without being a bit extra tangy!!

What I used :

(Serves 4)

• Uncooked Pasta - 3 cups

• Baby carrots - 1 cup

• Frozen corn kernels - 1 cup

• Green pepper - 1

• Onion - 1 large

• Tomato - 6

• Garlic - 4 large pods

• Oil - about 4 Tbsp

• Salt - to taste

Seasoning - 

(add to taste)

• Tomato ketchup

• Roasted garlic vinaigrette

• Italian seasoning sauce (basically had white vinegar, garlic, red pepper, lemon etc.)

• Red chilli sauce

• Dry basil leaves

• Ground pepper (I used the Durkee Peppercorn Melange which has all - black / white / green peppercorns)

How I made it :

• Take a measure of 3 cups of dry pasta.

• Boil about 6 cups of water in a big vessel.

• Once the water is hot, put the pasta in it and let it boil for about 15 minutes.

• You will see that the pasta starts swelling up.

• Switch of the gas and drain the pasta. Give it a wash under running cold water and set aside.

• Now heat oil in a pan.

• Cut the onion into thin fine slices.

• Chop the garlic pods into small fine pieces.

• Once the pan with the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and sauté them till they are golden brownish.

• Now cut the baby carrots into thin round shaped pieces.

• Add the carrots to the sautéed onions.

• In about 5 minutes on medium-high heat, the carrots would be getting crunchy and cooked.

• Chop 3 of the tomatoes into thing fine long slices. Add them to the sautéed onions and carrots.

• In about 3-4 minutes, the tomato will sink into the veggies.

• Run hot water through the frozen corn kernels, or just soak them in some warm water for a few minutes - basically to thaw them.

• Add the corn now, mix well.

• Add salt to taste.

• In 5 minutes, add freshly ground fresh pepper, at least 2 tea-spoons.

• Add the dry basil leaves, about 2 tablespoons of it.

• Add a bit of the red chilli sauce and about 1/4 cup of tomato ketchup.

• Mix well so that the sauces seep into the veggies.

• Add about 2 tablespoon each of the roasted garlic vinaigrette and Italian dressing sauce.

• Mix well and let it sauté on medium - high heat for about 2 minutes.

• Now add the cooked pasta (in 2 - 3 batches) so that you can properly mix it with the veggies.

• Take the rest 3 tomatoes and make them into a purée.

• Add the purée now to the pasta.

• Let it be on heat for about another 5 minutes.

• Chop the green pepper into small pieces, add them at the last minute (I want them crunchy). Switch off the gas now.

• Your pasta is now ready.

Serve it on a bowl or plate. (Sprinkle it with cheese if you like). Best eaten hot!!

Note :

• As I already said, use what ever variety of pasta you want.

• Use the seasoning ingredients in amounts to suit your taste buds best.

• You could also do without the Italian seasoning and the Vinaigrette, just use a little more garlic, some vinegar or some extra tomatoes may be.

• If you use, pepper which is freshly ground, it adds extra flavour.

• You can also add chilly flakes if you want it little more spicy. Since I did not have any at home, I had to do with the red chilly sauce.

• Cheese & Bake - For the cheese lovers, you may sprinkle your favourite variety of grated cheese on top of the cooked pasta, bake it in the oven for about 5 minutes for the extra bit of taste.