Italian Vegetarian Cooking : Pasta

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Serves: 4
Cooking time (approx.): 26 minutes
Style: Italian Vegetarian

2 cup(s) uncooked farfelle pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion(s) chopped
1 green bell pepper(s) chopped
1 carrot(s) grated
2 teaspoon(s) finely chopped or grated garlic
1 teaspoon(s) caper buds chopped
1 teaspoon(s) dried basil
½ teaspoon(s) dried oregano
1 bay leaf(ves)
½ cup(s) sliced pitted black olives
4 large ripe red tomatoes chopped
1 cup(s) tomato puree
1 tablespoon(s) grated parmesan cheese
salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste

Cook the farfelle pasta in a pot of boiling salted water for about 8 minutes or till tender but just underdone. Drain and refresh in cold water. Drain well and toss in a little hot butter in a pan. Keep warm.
For the marinara sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and saute the chopped onions till they are soft. Mix in the green bell pepper, carrot, garlic, capers, basil, oregano and bay leaf. Cook on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked.
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree and simmer for about 15 minutes whilst stirring. Season with salt and freshly milled pepper. Cool and puree half the sauce. Mix the puree with the rest of the sauce and heat well.
Toss the farfelle pasta in the hot marinara sauce till well heated through only at serving time.

TIPS:
Fresh herbs can be substituted with comparitively lesser amounts of dry ones.
It is important to cook the pasta till it is almost cooked or till just underdone. Refresh any form of cooked pasta in cold water so that they do not become sticky. Drain the cold water and coat the pasta with a drop or two of oil. Alternatively, toss in some melted butter till heated through. This will help separate them out.
The amount of cheese can be increased if desired specially if children love it.
It is always advisable to do the mixing of pasta and sauce at serving time only. If done in advance, the pasta tends to get sticky and soggy as it absorbs the sauce.

Serve hot topped with: grated parmesan cheese

Vegetarian Italian Cooking

Farfelle Marinara