Why oh why oh why is pasta the perfect autumn comfort food? Why do I crave pasta above every other carb (even bread — gasp)?
I can eat plain pasta right out of the bowl — absolutely plain, no butter, no salt, no nuthin’. Is that weird?
The kid in me wants to eat pasta out of the bowl all the time — two-fisted, left-right-left-right — but my adult sensibilities know that responsible people use utensils and temper carb overload with lots and lots of veggies.
It’s all good: carbs, fall veggies. And together — a la autumn vegetable pasta — equals one amazing meal.
This autumn vegetable pasta came about thanks to an abundance of fresh herbs and veggies on a cool, sunny October Saturday: cabbage, leeks, broccolini, red bell peppers (I know folks think of peppers as being a summer veggie, but mine tend not to ripen to sweet, sweet red perfection until September and beyond — it’s mid-October and I still have bells, poblanos and serranos ripening in the garden). Meaty cremini mushrooms round out the roll call, promising a hearty meal.
Instead of topping it off with a creamy, über-cheesy sauce, I borrowed a few techniques from risotto and fideua to boost flavor and creaminess naturally. The pasta is toasted — dried — in oil before being sizzled with white wine and doused in a bath of flavor-boosted veggie broth (thanks to leek trimmings, mushroom stems, herbs and big pinch of homegrown saffron). The starch exuded by the pasta creates a thick, creamy, and savory sauce that drapes delicately over the autumn vegetables.
Fit for a leisurely weeknight dinner or for warm, filling comfort after a busy Saturday in late fall’s brisk weather, I hope you’ll enjoy this pasta with autumn vegetables.
Karen xo
Autumn Vegetable Pasta
This recipe borrows risotto-making techniques to lend a toasted, nutty flavor to the pasta, and to coax starches into the vegetable broth, making for a naturally creamy, savory sauce.
Ingredients:
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 sprigs thyme
3 sage leaves
pinch of saffron
1 palmful flat leaf parsley
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek, white and light green parts sliced (dark green flags washed and reserved)
8 ounces cremini mushroom caps, thinly sliced (stems removed and reserved)
1 small red bed pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small head green cabbage, shredded
1 bunch broccolini, florets only
16 ounces pasta (campanella or penne)
1 cup white wine
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese (for serving)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients”
1. Heat vegetable broth and water in a 2 quart sauce pot over medium. Add the thyme, sage, parsley, saffron, and reserved leek leaves and mushroom stems. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to maintain a light simmer.
2. In a large dutch oven, heat 4 tablespoons oil over medium until shimmering. Add pasta and stir well to coat. Cook for several minutes, until the pasta is golden brown. Pour in the wine and continuing cooking, stirring every now and then, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Strain the vegetable broth, discarding the solids, and add the liquid to the pasta. Adjust heat to bring the broth to a steady, gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium until shimmering. Add the sliced leeks, sliced mushrooms, bell pepper, garlic and a big pinch of salt, sauteeing until all are soft and fragrant. Add the broccolini and cabbage, giving the pan a good stir to mix everything together. When the broccolini turns bright green, reduce heat to low and hold until the pasta is ready.
5. When the pasta has absorbed most of the broth (about 10 minutes), stir in the vegetables. Taste, and adjust salt and pepper to suit. Plate, and top each serving with Parmesan cheese.
ginger west
Wednesday 24th of October 2012
i want to learn to garden and cook just like you do!!!!
SoupAddict
Monday 15th of October 2012
Thanks, Julia! Fall vegetables are so lovely, I just want to put them in everything.
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com
Monday 15th of October 2012
Beautiful pasta! I like that there are so many vegetables in this dish. will have to try! Love your plates!
Katie (The Muffin Myth)
Monday 15th of October 2012
Very clever to cook the pasta risotto style! I've made risotto style dishes with other grains, like barley, before, but I've never even considered using pasta. What a great trick! Thanks for posting the recipe.
SoupAddict
Monday 15th of October 2012
I love so many grains risotto-style! Pasta is really nice prepared like this because it cooks faster than most grains, and the sauce it produces is extra ... saucy. Hope you'll try it sometime!
Cher
Monday 15th of October 2012
I would never have thought to pair cabbage with pasta. Which is brilliant - I am drowning in heads of green and savoy cabbage right now. This is lovely :-)
SoupAddict
Monday 15th of October 2012
Oooo, savoy. I wish that had been a choice. I started experimenting with cabbage in a lot of things last winter - I was surprised how well it holds up in cooked dishes. I was half expecting to end up with sauer kraut sometimes, but it's a hardy little green. :)