Pasta Primavera

Directions

• 1

  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

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• 2

  For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water boils, add the penne and cook for 9 minutes (the pasta should still have a bit of chewy “bite” to it; it will continue cooking in the oven). Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set the pasta aside in a large bowl.

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• 3

  For the vegetables, melt the 1 tablespoon of butter with the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the broccoli, bell pepper strips, mushrooms and onion. Cook until the vegetables are slightly softened, stirring often to prevent scorching, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, then add the vegetable mixture to the penne.

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• 4

  For the sauce, melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and simmer for 1 minute. Off heat, stir in the ¼ cup Parmesan, salt, nutmeg and cayenne. Pour the sauce over the pasta and vegetables and stir to coat. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.

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• 5

  Bake the casserole for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through and the pasta is a little crispy along the edges.

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