veggie bowties I: the joy of food processing

For years we did without. [Perhaps because we had not yet bought a house, and after we did, because we had.] Somehow buying the big name food processor outright seemed an extravagance. And any other one would never satisfy our amateur cooking ambitions, the typical ad campaign brainwashed consumers that we are. So we waited. Until the temptation came within reach—a seemingly pretty good sale price for the slightly reduced power version of the classic model—and we grabbed it. Happy little food processors we became. Except that our laziness prevented us from fully exploiting the processor potential. The two extra full disk cutting options. One with the big "extremely sharp blade" warning sticker still stuck on the shining metal. Until a dr bob mom visit, during which the question came up about using the slicer blade. The sticker came off. Some potatoes got sliced. Wow.

So back to the topic at hand. Veggie pasta sauces are a snap with the food processor. Just mine the refrigerator for its veggie deposits in the lower drawers. Assortments are good for this. First the onion, then the secondary items. Not quite like opening a jar, but jars just don't cut it, usually.

ingredients

pasta
1 lb bowtie pasta (farfalle)
veggie process group
1 celery stalk
1 carrot
1 turnip
2 green onions
1 large garlic clove
sauté starters
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
sauté intermediaries
2 small zucchini, sliced crossways
8 oz white mushrooms, chopped
finishers
1/2 c veggie broth (1 t veggie concentrate plus water)
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/2 t paprika
2 T fresh parsley, chopped

instructions

  1. Start the pasta water boiling and when ready throw in the bowtie pasta and cook al dente. Meanwhile:
  2. Food process the food process group together, after cleaning, peeling, whatever seems appropriate.
  3. Sauté the onion and red pepper in olive oil.
  4. When a bit softened, throw in the food processed group and combine.
  5. Add in the zucchini and mushrooms.
  6. When softened, add in the veggie broth and let simmer on low heat for a while until the liquid reduces a bit.
  7. Add in the finishers.
  8. Combine with the pasta. Serve with freshly grated parmigiano and black pepper.

notes

  1. We were on a roll so we tried a variation (next recipe).
vegbow1.htm: 6-aug-2001 [what, ME cook? © 1984 dr bob enterprises]