Meatless pasta dishes are one of my favorites because they are very versatile. You can eat them as is or pair them with other dishes. The best part is that they are healthy too. For this dish we used few vegetables but you may add more like water chestnuts or peas. They would definitely be great additions to this wonderful recipe.
Since not everyone likes Parmesan stirred in their pasta, I decided to serve it separately. If you are a fan of cheese, you can try stirring in some cheese into the sauce for a cheesier dish. Rigatoni with winter tomato sauce is a yummy pasta recipe that is great for dinner. Serve it with grilled meat and or some salad.
Ingredients:
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery stick, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of fresh basil, thyme and oregano, coarsely chopped
2 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon sun dried tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoon dry white wine
3 cups dried rigatoni
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Coarsely shaved parmesan cheese to serve
Cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions or until al dente. Drain and set aside. Keep warm.
Place the carrots, onions and parsley in a food processor. Process it for 30 seconds until the vegetables are chopped finely. You can also do it by hand if you wish.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Sauté the sliced garlic for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the chopped vegetables and herbs. Pour in the wine and then cook the vegetables for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and then season it with salt and pepper. Simmer it for 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Combine the sauce and pasta in a large bowl. Gently toss until the rigatoni is coated in sauce. Garnish with chopped herbs and serve immediately with shaved Parmesan cheese.
Photo Courtesy Of: kochtopf