ZUCCHINI PASTA BAKE

Zucchini Pasta Bake image

The crunchy Parmesan on top and the gooey melted mozzarella mixed throughout make this baked pasta dish a real treat! It's great at the height of summer when the tomatoes and zucchini come straight from the garden!

Provided by RUTH GOOCH

Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian

Time 45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

8 ounces penne pasta
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup crushed saltine crackers
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, chopped
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch dried celery flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Steps:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta, cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a blender or food processor, thoroughly mix the Parmesan cheese and crackers.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place the onion in the skillet, and cook and stir until tender. Mix in the zucchini, tomato, and garlic, and season with oregano, basil, celery, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook and stir until the zucchini is tender.
In the prepared casserole dish, mix the pasta with the vegetable mixture and mozzarella cheese. Top evenly with the Parmesan cheese mixture.
Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the topping is lightly browned. Allow to sit 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 271.1 calories, Carbohydrate 37.2 g, Cholesterol 15 mg, Fat 7.9 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 12.7 g, SaturatedFat 3.1 g, Sodium 336.1 mg, Sugar 2.4 g