Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

I got this recipe from Food Network. It is Giada De Laurentiis recipe and it is a great way to get your serving of vegetables for the day. I have made this for my family and everyone eats it. This is not an easy thing to accomplish in my house, LOL Some are meat eaters (and there is NO meat in this!) and some are vegetarian. This recipe rocks!

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide stripes (I dice them)
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved (I use 1/2 a package of the plain mushrooms, but you can use whatever kind you want)
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch stripes (I dice it)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix
1 pound penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade) I use store bought
1 cup grated fontina cheese (I use shredded Mexican blend)
1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella (I use shredded mozzarella)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 1/3 cup for topping
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces (I use margarine)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. On a baking sheet, toss the bell peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms and onions with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and Italian herb mix. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.
4. In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix until all the pasta is coated and the ingredients are combined.
5. Pour the pasta in a greased 9X13 inch pan. Top with remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan and butter pieces. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

By placing the Parm cheese on top and then the dollops of butter or margarine, it makes the pasta crunchy and yummy! This particular recipe makes a ton! 6 servings, so feel free to cut the ingredients in half if you like. This is a wonderful left over dish!
Enjoy!