Growing up in the Bachetti household, we had certain culinary patterns.  Friday night was pizza night (and TGIF!  I loved Family Matters) and Monday night was spaghetti night.  Not pasta night, spaghetti night.  Every Monday we’d have your classic spaghetti pasta, sauce from a jar (Ragu) and garlic bread.  Every Monday.  And. I. Loved. It.  I loooooooved spaghetti growing up (really, I love all carbs).  That being said, there wasn’t a whole lot of variety in the dinner lifestyle.  My father is not a big fan of variety and, well, kids hate “weird stuff” so my mother was rather constrained.

Onions Ready For Roasting

Spaghetti night died when we went off to college but I’m still in love with my carbs.  Ragu, of course, does not sit on my shelves, but then there are so many other delicious sauces (don’t tell my dad).  A friend and I made ravioli from scratch some time back using a recipe from Alton Brown (of course).  It was delicious and used a very subtle, very simple sauce: butter and sage.  I decided to give it a shot with this recipe.

Spaghetti With Roasted Vegetables And Sage

If I had to do it again, I’d probably add more herbs to the vegetables for the roasting; something to add more “pop”.  Maybe more basil, some parsley?

Spaghetti With Roasted Vegetables and Sage

Spaghetti with Roasted Vegetables and Sage
1 large red onion; chopped into eight pieces (or two small cut into the same number)
2 carrots; cut 2-3 inches long and quartered
1 red bell pepper; cut into eight pieces
4 tablespoons fresh basil; chopped
1 clove of garlic; minced
1/2 teaspoon basil
6 ounces spaghetti

Cook your spaghetti as you normally would halfway through the process so it finishes around the same time everything else does. Preheat the oven to 450.

Put your onions and carrots in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil (enough to coat, but not “wet”) with a generous pinch or two of salt. Toss to coat and put, uncrowded, on roasting pans. Put the red bell pepper on its own roasting pan. Put the onion and red bell pepper in the oven. Toss the onion after ten minutes and remove after another five. Place the carrots in the oven and remove both them and the red bell peppers after five minutes (20 minutes total). If the red bell pepper’s skin is not charred enough, let roast longer. Otherwise, place in sealed bag and let sit. Once the red bell peppers are cool enough to handle, remove their skin and cut into 1/4 strips.

Melt the butter under medium heat (if it sizzles when it touches the pan, it’s too hot!) until it begins to brown, add your sage, garlic and basil and cook until the garlic is fragrant; approximately 30 seconds. Add your vegetables and pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Enjoy!

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