Baked Penne With Corn, Zucchini and Basil
photo by Scott Binder
- Ready In:
- 1hr 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 16
- Serves:
-
8
ingredients
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1⁄2 lb penne
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
- 2 ears corn, kernels cut off cob
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 zucchini, about 2 lb. total, cut into half-moons
- 1⁄2 yellow onion, diced
- 4 tomatoes, cored, seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon garlic, sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
- 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1⁄4 cup white wine
- 1⁄2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
- 2 ounces parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
directions
- Preheat an oven to 400ºF.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt the water, add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold running water. Set aside.
- In a 12-inch nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 3 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the corn, season with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
- Return the pan to medium-high heat and warm the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil. Working in batches, add the zucchini, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add to the bowl with the corn. Repeat with the remaining zucchini, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
- Set the pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, 1 teaspoons salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and begin to form a sauce, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until the wine has reduced and the sauce is fairly thick, about 3 minutes more.
- Add the pasta, tomato sauce, basil, mozzarella and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the bowl with the vegetables and stir to combine. Transfer to the fry pan and sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until golden brown on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.
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Reviews
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this is basically a glorified casserole. I think there's simply too much pasta. It undermines any attempt to create a fresh, summery dish. It doesn't taste bad, but it's really heavy. I wouldn't add salt every single time I saute the zucchini, though by no means cut all the salt. The corn sounds weird but it does enhance the dish. I probably won't make it again but it wasn't bad.
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I loved this recipe! Though it appears to be a simple pasta bake, there are a number of steps that make it a little time-consuming, but not difficult, such as first cooking the corn, then the zucchini, etc. But it really was worth the extra time. I will definitely make this again! The flavor was amazing! (I even used whole wheat penne.)
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This was a great! I personally give this like a really strong 4. My hubby gave it a high 3. I think that's only because he's a meat eater though. I kept trying to figure out what was the flavor I was tasting the most of, but I really think it was a few. I really love fresh basil in meals. I didn't have fresh oregano, but was still good. I halved my amount, because I didn't have enough ingredients, plus only 2 of us were eating. I was almost finished eating and I finally figured out that I was really tasting the fresh corn that kind of sweetens up when you cook it like this. The thin layer of cheese on top really gives it a good texture because it almost gives it a crunch after going in the oven. This is a great recipe for using up ingredients in your garden!! I didn't have white wine, so I used red instead, and it tasted great still. I didn't have penne, and elbow was the closest thing I had, it really probably is better with a bit chewier pasta. I'm not one to season a with too much salt, but this dish really does benefit from it.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Docs Mom
United States