Shiitake Pasta with Broccoli and Red Peppers

I love the earthy, woody flavor of mushrooms. I don't necessarily like eating big pieces of them, but I love the flavor they bring to dishes.

This pasta is something I came up with on my own and it was delicious! Cooking the pasta in the same water the mushrooms cooked in gave it so much flavor.


Ingredients

• 1/2 pound pasta; I used rigatoni
• 1 head broccoli, chopped into florets
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow squash, chopped (I could have done without this but I bought it and didn't want it to go to waste)
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• Small handful of dried shiitake mushrooms
• Grape tomatoes
• 1 can low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Start to bring a large pot to a boil. Just as it starts to slightly bubble, add the dried mushrooms. Remove them once they are tender, about 3-4 minutes. Chop the mushrooms and set them aside.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water to cook; drain, set aside
• While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan.
• Add the garlic and shallots, saute 1-2 minutes
• Add the broccoli, peppers, squash, and mushrooms
• After 1 minute, add the can of chicken broth. Cover and let simmer until the pasta is done.
• Add the tomatoes a few minutes before adding the pasta.
• Once the pasta is done, add it to the pan with the veggies. Mix everything together and top with Parmesan cheese.