Fusilli all'ortolana

Here’s how to prepare tasty Fusilli all’ortolana, a dish rich in vegetables and summer flavors that brings together the freshness of the garden in a pasta dish:

Ingredients

• 320g of fusilli
• 1 zucchini
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 small eggplant
• 1 red onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 300g of cherry tomatoes
• Fresh basil to taste
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

1. Wash all the vegetables carefully. Cut the zucchini, bell peppers, and eggplant into small cubes, thinly slice the red onion, and chop the garlic.
2. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic and onion until they become translucent.
3. Add the bell peppers, zucchini, and eggplant to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
4. Add the cherry tomatoes cut in halves and let them cook until they create a slightly thick sauce, for about 10 minutes. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste and add some hand-torn basil leaves.
5. In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fusilli according to the package instructions, to get them al dente.
6. Drain the pasta while keeping a bit of the cooking water and pour it into the pan with the vegetables. Mix well to ensure the pasta blends with the seasoning, adding some cooking water if necessary to make the sauce creamier.
7. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese if desired and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

Enjoy your meal!

This recipe is traditionally Mediterranean and represents a great way to enjoy summer vegetables, which give color and nutrition to the dish. It is also easily adaptable depending on the available vegetables or personal preferences.