*Disclosure: I received the Copper Chef 14 in 1 Wonder Cooker for review here on the blog. Regardless, I only recommend products I use and believe will be good for my readers.
Summer produce is just amazing- especially when you can buy local. The flavor is so incredible! I’ve used some of my favorites of the season in this Summer Vegetable Pasta Bake. The vegetables are bright, the sauce is so flavorful and creamy and the pasta perfectly cooked all made really easy thanks to the Wonder Cooker!
I’ve been doing a lot of grilling lately and I wan’t to switch things up with a fun pasta dish! It was perfect timing because my new Copper Chef 14 in 1 Wonder Cooker had just arrived! To me, there really isn’t anything more comforting then a delicious bowl of pasta and let me tell you, this Summer Vegetable Pasta Bake is absolutely DELICIOUS! I was able to pick up Jersey Fresh zucchini, yellow squash and grape tomatoes the other day and thats where this dish starts.
How stunning is this set?! So what makes this so amazing? How about the 5 layer construction on the roasting pan, the induction plate on the shallow and roasting pan for even heating, the fact that its all non stick and that shallow grill pan can act as a lid for the roaster!! The uses for this are endless- deep roaster, shallow roaster, deep fryer, stove top grill pan, baking side, grill pan on the grill, dutch oven, dual roaster, stove top skillet, chafing dish, casserole dish, steamer and stock pan!!! So yea, this Copper Chef 14 in 1 Wonder Cooker basically does it all.
While there are a few different elements to this Summer Vegetable Pasta Bake, its all basic ingredients and pretty simple as well. I just LOVE that I make almost the entire thing in this one pan! Easy clean up my friends!!! I start by simply sautéing zucchini, yellow squash, grape tomatoes and garlic in a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Once some of the water cooks out of the veggies they begin to caramelize and the flavor of the vegetables intensifies.
The sauce is a very basic white sauce, also known as a béchamel. If you are to make mac & cheese from scratch you’d start with the same base and switch up the cheeses. It starts with a roux which is simply equal parts butter and flour. Once the butter is melted and flour is cooked a couple minutes you slowly add in room temp or slightly warmed 1% milk, whisking to prevent lumps. Seasoned again just with salt and pepper. Throw in a good amount of pecorino romano and shreddd mozzarella. Stir in the veggies and under cooked pasta. Top with breadcrumbs and a drizzle of olive oil and ready for the oven!
The pasta soaks up all that flavorful sauce, the cheeses are creamy and gooey and that golden breadcrumb on top is heaven!! It only takes about 15 minutes to bake allowing the pasta to cook through. I then pop my broiler on for a few minutes to brown and crisp up the breadcrumb. I served this amazing Summer Vegetable Pasta with a simple salad that of course had some more fresh Jersey tomatoes! This really makes for a great family meal!
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow squash, diced
- 2 zucchini, diced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chop
- 1 quart 1% milk, slightly warmed to get out chill
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 6 Tbsp flour
- 1 lb penne pasta, cooked to just shy of al dente
- 1/2 cup pecorino cheese
- 2 heaping cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook a lb of penne pasta a minute or two shy of al dente {cooking time will vary depending on brand and will be labeled on box}. Drain and set aside.
- In your large pan, over medium heat, add the olive oil and veggies. Season with a few pinches of salt and some black pepper. Cook until the veggies begin to caramelize.
- Remove the veggies with a non metal spoon and set aside.
- Add in the butter. Once melted add in the flour and stir with a wooden spoon, allowing the flour to cook for two minutes.
- Slowly add in the milk stirring to prevent lumps. Allow to simmer until it begins to thicken- about 10 minutes. Season again with a little salt and pepper.
- Stir in the pecorino and mozzarella, stir until combined. Toss in the pasta and veggie, Toss to coat.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs overtop and drizzle just a little olive oil. Bake for about 15 minutes. For extra browning on the bread crumb pop the broiler on for a few minutes until golden.
Check out my previous post featuring the Copper Chef 9.5″ Deep Square Pan …. my Chile Cheddar Tater Tots
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