Roasted Vegetable Pasta

This is one of my best creations. I was sitting down doing some much needed reading when my aunt called saying she'd drop by for dinner. I ran around in a panic and saw that the only things I had on hand were some onions, some tomatoes, and some bell peppers. Fortunately for me, I had a ziplock full of my tomato chutney (which I also use as a pasta base or curry base) in the freezer. The recipe which follows takes bout 30 to 40 minutes to prepare, and is low on effort.

Ingredients:
Penne pasta: half a pound (I prefer penne cos it absorbs the flavour of the tomato sauce better)
Green bell peppers: 2 (cut into 1 inch pieces)
Red bell peppers : 2 ( cut into 1 inch pieces)
Tomatoes: 3 (cut into thin wedges)
Onion : 1 large
Dry italian seasoning: 1 tsp
Tomato chutney: 1.5 cups (Easy substitute is Marinara sauce)
Olive oil : 2 to 3 tbsp
Cheese : 0.25 cup (I used habanero jack)

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 450F.
Boil some water for pasta. (Dont forget to salt this water!)
On a cookie sheet, toss together the onions and the peppers with salt, pepper, italian seasoning and a little olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.
Add the penne to the boiling water and let cook till almost done.
As soon as the pasta is done, drain well and layer in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Immediately coat with the chutney or marinara sauce. This is the most important step in ensuring that the pasta absorbs the flavor of the sauce.
Once the vegetables are done, layer on top of the pasta.
Now, on the same tray, layer the tomato wedges, toss delicately with salt and pepper and bake at 400F for 15 to 17 minutes. Add to the pasta.
Top with a thin layer of grated cheese and one tbsp of olive oil.
Cover and bake at 450F for 10 minutes, or till the cheese melts. (This can be done just before serving)


Things to like in this recipe, other than its ease of preparation is the use of peppers. These vegetables are our tastiest route to getting Vitamins C and A. If you are like me and love reading about all the health benefits of different vegetables, this link should take you to a lot of information... http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=50