Grill meets pasta.
That’s what I’m talkin’ about.
A pasta that smells and tastes like summer but one I can be impulsive with. Do we want you warm for a sit and laugh dinner with friends? Or would I rather you accompany me cold to a party, the beach, or to our Tuesday night bocce game. How apropos of you pasta.
The versatility of a served warm or cold pasta is inviting and especially fitting for these last squeezes of summer.
Then comes the ease. The steps may seem numerous but once in motion, they’re a breeze. I promise.
And the result, the reason time = worth.
And why home cooked and from scratch smells fragrant and tastes full of flavor. Oh the leftovers! I can go on and on but won’t.
Order of Operations
(math not included)
Cut and grill the vegetables and garlic.
Boil the pasta with lots of salt.
Dice and add fresh tomatoes to the pan.
Make an exceptional red wine spice/herb sauce.
Add grilled vegetables and noodles.
Serve warm or cold,
As a main dish or a side.
Then love and share,
And share and love all over again.
Grilled Vegetable Pasta
Ingredients:
- 2 portobello mushrooms cut into ½ - 1" pieces
- 3 medium zucchini cut into ½ - 1" pieces
- 15 cherry tomatoes
- 1 garlic, bulb
- 1 basil, chopped bunch, or to taste
- ½ pound pasta gemelli, fusilli, rigatoni, farfalle, penne...
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 vine ripened tomatoes, diced
- ¼ - ⅓ cup red wine
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red peppers
- Sprinkle parmesan (optional)
Instructions
- Soak about 12-15 wooden skewers for about 15-20 minutes, then set a gas grill to medium-high heat.
- Because we're going to give the pasta a quick whirl in the pan again, cook just below the al dente instructions. When it comes time to drain, reserve a ¼ cup pasta water for the sauce, then set noodles aside.
- Peel and discard the outer paper layers of the garlic bulb. Using a sharp knife, cut the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the garlic bulb, exposing the cloves. Drizzle or spray a light coat of oil over the exposed cloves. Wrap with aluminum foil.
- With different cooking times in mind, skewer the mushrooms, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes together in kind. Brush the vegetable skewers with a light coat of olive oil and season with pepper and garlic powder.
- Place the vegetables and wrapped garlic over the flame. Grill vegetables for about 8-10 minutes over direct heat and the garlic for about 25 minutes over indirect.Once the vegetables/garlic are tender, browned, and the perfect char, remove and set aside to cool.
- Peel the garlic paper to expose those stubborn but stunning cloves. Squeeze the cloves from the bottom up. Slice, smash, mince, or leave them in all their whole glory.
- Heat a large skillet over medium, then add oil. Once shimmering, add diced tomatoes. Stir every once in awhile, but allow them to break down and thicken to a sauce.
- If after 5 minutes the tomatoes aren't thickening, add a small amount of reserved pasta water and stir. Once thickened, add half the red wine and all the garlic. Stir again.
- Remove vegetables from the skewers; add to the sauce and stir to coat. Slowly add the pasta noodles until desired pasta/sauce ratio is reached.
- Add more red wine, chopped basil, salt, pepper, and crushed red peppers to taste.
- Serve warm or cold. We're undecided, so partake in both =DIf cold and using parmesan, may I suggest half now and half before serving.If warm and using parmesan, you know the drill!
- I hope you L.O.V.E as much as we do!
Notes
- we've grilled vegetables on the charcoal grill but haven't timed them. I think they cooked direct heat for about 5-6 minutes. In my opinion, charcoal baby!
- instead of grilling, the vegetables and garlic can be roasted or sautéed too.
