Spring Spelt Ratatouille With Roasted Tomato Sauce


Serves 8

Ingredients

Olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
2 medium spring onions, chopped fine
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 medium carrot, chopped medium
1 medium fennel bulb, sliced thinly
1 cup snap peas
1 cup asparagus spears
½ cup fresh fava beans (shelled, cooked and subskins removed)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper, cracked finely
1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
¼ cup of each of the following fresh herbs : parsley, cilantro, mint and tarragon, chopped fine
â…“ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped fine
¼ – ½ cup of white wine (the wine you choose for the pairing)
2 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups spelt pasta, spirals, twists or shells, cooked
Roasted Tomato Herb Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

In a heavy bottom stew pan over medium heat add olive oil. Cook garlic, onions and lemon zest for about a minute or two until slightly translucent. Add the carrots and sauté another minute or two. Add the fennel, snap peas, favas and asparagus spears and sauté a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper and stir well, add chili flakes if desired and half of all the herbs. Add the wine and mix well, turn down heat to low, lemon juice and let simmer stirring occasionally for about 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining herbs and take off heat and toss together with spelt pasta and roasted tomato sauce, sprinkle in the remaining herbs just before serving.

Roasted Tomato Herb Sauce

Makes about 2 cups of sauce

Ingredients

8-10 small vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered
6 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup fresh herbs of your choice, torn into pieces
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Cracked black pepper
½ cup Kalamata olives or green olives, pits removed and halved
¼ cup olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 275°F. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Place in a pre-oiled shallow baking dish and drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Roast tomatoes for about 1 hour or until bubbly hot.