Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1 in. strips
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1 in. strips
4 zucchini or yellow summer squash (or any combination of the two), quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 in. pieces
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 onion, peeled and sliced into 1 in. strips
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. Italian herb blend (if desired)
1 lb. penne pasta
3 c. spaghetti sauce (jarred, homemade, or made from a seasoning packet—your preference)
1 ½ c. shredded Italian cheese blend
½ to 1 c. grated Parmesan (amount to personal preference)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 lb. ground beef (Optional—without it, this makes a hearty vegetarian dish)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, squash, mushrooms, and onion with olive oil, ½ tsp. of the salt, ¼ tsp. of the pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Bake until tender, about 15 minutes.

Drop oven temp. to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef and drain. Stir into spaghetti sauce and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you do not want it to be completely cooked on the stovetop. Drain.

In a LARGE bowl, combine the pasta, vegetables, spaghetti sauce, shredded Italian cheese blend, and remaining ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper. Mix gently until pasta is coated with sauce and ingredients are combined.

Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 x 2 in. baking dish—it will fit, but the dish will be very full. Top with grated Parmesan and sprinkle with butter pieces. Bake uncovered until the top is golden and the cheese melts, 25-30 minutes.

This is a modified version of a recipe taken from Giada De Laurentiis’ cookbook Everyday Pasta.