Baked Penne With Corn, Zucchini and Basil

"Enriched with two kinds of cheeses, this baked pasta showcases favorite summer vegetables at their seasonal best, including sweet corn, zucchini and fresh tomatoes. July 2009 Williams-Sonoma."
 
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photo by Scott Binder photo by Scott Binder
photo by Scott Binder
photo by enestvmel photo by enestvmel
photo by enestvmel photo by enestvmel
Ready In:
1hr 30mins
Ingredients:
16
Serves:
8
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ingredients

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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

  1. 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.
     
  2. This was good, but I found the effort/time involved outweighed the taste. Maybe it will be more delicious in a few days?! It definitely wasn't bad, I just like to get in and out of the kitchen and this recipe didn't quite fit that requirement. HOWEVER, gobs of yummy veggies! :-)
     
  3. 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.)
     
  4. 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.
     
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