Confetti Spaghetti

One of my best friends from high school, Amy, and I used to make this variation on pasta primavera all the time. It was one of the few dishes for which we actually used a recipe. We spent a summer waitressing on the coast of Maine, living in a tiny apartment above a family friends' garage (ahhh...memories!) and during that time we made up most of our kitchen creations ourselves...but this recipe was worth following...

And now, what feels like a lifetime later, I've put it to the kid-0-meter test: and it passed. Both the 1 yr old and the 4.5 yr old ate it happily. Pasta plus some of their favorite veggies (the little girl hasn't met a pea she didn't love, and the boy has recently declared a love of red peppers...after a year or so of vehemently not liking peppers in general), plus soy sauce, plus cheese...what's not to like??? This photo does not do it justice, hopefully I can do better next time, but for now, here it is.

I like this particular recipe because it's a little different than most pasta primavera dishes you'll find...it's not quite Italian-tasting (because of the soy sauce), and yet it's not quite Asian-tasting either...hmmmm...you be the judge. It yields a LOT...invite friends over or be prepared for leftovers.

This is a Moosewood recipe, from the old version of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest (before they took all the butter out of the recipes)...and here it is:

3 tablespoons each: butter and olive oil
1 cup minced onion
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 stalks broccoli - chopped
2 cups small cauiflowerettes
1/4 pound mushrooms, chopped
2 cups frozen peas
1 medium-size red bell pepper, diced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
4-6 scallions minced (OPTIONAL: I left out for the kiddos)
1 packed cup finely-minced parsley (OPTIONAL: not sure I've ever used this, though it would be good)
2 packed cups grated cheddar

1. In a large, heavy skillet, cook the onions and garlic in combined butter and olive oil with salt, pepper, and basil, until the onions are soft (5-8 minutes).
2. Add broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Let cook until the broccoli and cauliflower are just tender (8-10 minutes).
3. Add peas and diced red pepper. Stir and cook over medium heat for just a few minutes - until the peas and peppers are just heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce.
4. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, put into a large bowl, and immediately add the saute with all its liquid. As you toss the mixture, sprinkle in the cheese and scallions and parsley (if using). Serve while hot!