Dorothy's Mostaccioli Vegetarian Pasta with Walnuts
Submitted by caeriegeaux
Hearty vegetarian mostaccioli in a wine-simmered crushed tomato sauce with toasted walnuts, sherry pepper oil, julienned zucchini, and red peppers, broiled under bubbly mozzarella and fresh basil.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
25 minREADY
50 minDorothy knew what she was doing with this one. Sherry pepper oil and olive oil form the fragrant base, while toasted walnuts add a nutty richness that makes you forget there’s no meat in sight.
Crushed tomatoes simmer down with a full cup of Burgundy wine, fresh basil ribbons, and oregano until the sauce is thick enough to coat every tube of mostaccioli. Julienned red peppers and baby zucchini get a quick zap in the microwave to stay bright and snappy.
The genius move? Spinning the drained pasta in a lettuce spinner to get the water out of those little tubes before tossing with the sauce. Then it all goes under the broiler with a heap of mozzarella until golden and irresistible.
Kitchen Tips
- The lettuce spinner trick is brilliant for tube-shaped pasta; trapped water dilutes your sauce
- Cut the basil into fine ribbons (chiffonade) for the sauce, but save the pretty top florets for garnish
- Let the sauce reduce uncovered until it’s thick and concentrated before adding the veggies
- Sherry pepper oil adds a warm, spicy depth; if you can’t find it, a splash of sherry vinegar with red pepper flakes works in a pinch
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the pasta according to package directions.
In a large skillet or sauce pan: Heat the Olive Oil and the Sherry Pepper Oil.
Add and Sauté the Oregano, Onions and Shallots until almost translucent before adding the garlic and walnuts.
Add the walnuts and garlic.
Saute, without letting the garlic brown.
Add the crushed Tomatoes and Burgundy wine and Basil.
Cook slowly over a low heat, uncovered.
In a microwave oven: Cover and cook the julienned Red Pepper for 1 minute.
Set aside.
Cover and cook the julienned Zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes.
Set aside.
The Red Peppers and Zucchini will maintain their pretty coloring by cooking “al dente” in the microwave.
When the tomato sauce has been reduced and is the consistency desired, add the Red Peppers and Zucchini.
Heat the Broiler.
Drain the cooked pasta.
(Because water can cling to the insides of these little “macaroni pipes", I give the pasta a few spins in my Lettuce Spinner.) Add the pasta to the tomato sauce and toss.
Taste the sauce, adding salt and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes as desired.
Transfer the Pasta and Sauce to a oven proof serving dish.
Liberally, sprinkle shredded Mozzarella Cheese on top of the Pasta mixture.
Place under the broiler until the cheese melts.
Remove from the oven and garnish with the Basil florets and leaves.
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