Buncie's Primavera

Today I was charged with making dinner at about noon. After running through ideas for 15 minutes I forgot about it for about 4 hours and was put on the spot when Bex called me after work to ask if I needed anything from the store.

All I knew for certain is that it was going to be pasta, when in doubt, make pasta. So I gave her a few ingredients that I thought would be good mixed with garlic and a little olive oil. So here's what I came up with

1 - red bell pepper

1 - zucchini
4 - carrots
1/2 - large red onion
5 - 6 - decent sized garlic cloves
1/2 cup - fresh parsley *chopped finely
4 tbsp - olive oil
1/2 box - penne rigate
1/4 cup - Parmesean or Romano cheese (I use a mixture of both, grated from a block in my food processor, I know I know, but damnit it tastes better)
salt and pepper to taste

Step 1

Fill a large sauce pot with SALTED water and bring to a boil. While that's going, Julienne (yea i know its a little feminine to cut vegetables and use the word "julienne" but damnit they taste better this way) the red bell pepper, onion, carrots, and zucchini. It's easier to get this out of the way now rather than while your cooking so you don't have to juggle too many things at once.

Quick Tip for slicing bell peppers julienne style...........Cut the peppers in half and remove seeds to make what looks like 2 separate bowls. Cut the "sides" off the top and bottom of the makeshift bowls to make the peppers appear flat. (see picture below)

Then take your sharpest kitchen knife and make thin slices going from top to bottom of the pepper. Such as.....

Step 2:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in large 12" skillet. While oil is heating, chop garlic very finely and place in hot oil. Let the garlic sweat out in the oil for 45 seconds. Fresh garlic just tastes better, and fresh ingredients always need more because flavors just aren't as concentrated as their dried counterparts. See pic for my vampire hating amount of garlic needed for this dish......

Next add the carrots. Cover carrots and cook for 5 minutes. (Add the carrots first as it takes longer for them to cook). Then add the rest of the veggies, salt and pepper to taste, and cover stirring occasionally until tender.

At this point Layla decided she wanted to eat her foot for dinner. So there's that

Step 3

After the water has started boiling add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and add to skillet with vegetables. Cook pasta/veggie mixture covered for 5-10 minutes on LOW heat in order to add flavor to pasta.

At this point you should add the chopped parsley and it should look something like this.....

Step 4

Eat the shit out of it!



Until Next Time

E