Recipe: Baked Pasta Florentine (with zucchini, peppers and mushrooms)

BAKED PASTA FLORENTINE

16 oz dry pasta, such as penne or ziti
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2-3 cloves minced garlic
2 medium zucchini, cut into strips
2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 cup chopped green onions
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Chopped fresh herbs (optional, to taste)
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 (14-16 oz.) can chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package, cooking only 7 minutes. Drain and spoon into 2 greased 13x9 baking dishes.

Melt butter in large skillet and saute garlic briefly, then add zucchini, peppers, mushrooms and onions. Season well with salt and pepper and fresh herbs if you like. Cook about 3 or 4 minutes and add tomatoes. Heat through and spoon vegetables over pasta.

Whisk flour into drippings in skillet and whisk in milk, then broth. Season with nutmeg and salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Add spinach and Parmesan cheese. Pour sauce over vegetables. (Can cool and freeze now, if desired.)

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted (longer if frozen).

Makes 12 servings
Source: Cathi-Anne Totaro