Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Parmesan

This recipe is pretty good. In fact, I'm eating the leftovers as I type this. =)

This recipe uses pesto, and the very smell of it takes me back to my Dave's Pizza days. There was this regular couple who always sat in the same booth and drank a half carafe of blush with their pizza each week. One night, they brought in some of their home-made pesto and asked if we would put it on the dough before making their pizza. They brought a lot and said we could use the rest. The guys played around with it and ended up making the most delicious pesto pizza I've ever had -- and, consequently, never had again since leaving Dave's. It was a pizza with pesto instead of red sauce, topped with mushrooms, spinach, a bit of garlic, and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock to my DP days... lots of good eats.

Anyway... this recipe was also a first for me in that I had never purchased, prepared, or eaten these particular root vegetables. My verdict... they're amazing! I could easily eat just the pasta tossed with pesto, but the roasted vegetables bring a subtle sweetness to the dish, which the Parmesan complements with its saltiness. Let me know what you think...

Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Parmesan

8 oz. parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

8 oz. rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

8 oz. turnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

2 t. olive oil

1 t. Italian seasoning (I used Herbs de Provance)

1/2 t. salt

8 oz. whole grain penne (or fusilli) pasta

2 T. pesto sauce

1/2 c. finely chopped roasted red bell pepper

2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place parsnips, rutabaga, and turnips on a 15x10" baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss well and distribute the pieces evenly over the pan. Roast vegetables for 30 minutes, or until tender and evenly browned, stirring or shaking every 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with pesto. Add roasted bell pepper and vegetables to pasta. Divide among bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 [2 c.] (4P+)

Notes: I roasted the red bell pepper with the vegetables half way through. I also grated my own Parmesan because I had some to use up. I didn't bother with the fresh parsley; I figured there were enough herbs going on in there already. When I make it again, I might leave the rutabaga out and only use turnips and parsnips. That sucker was hard to peel and cube, plus now I have leftovers I don't know what to do with. =)