1 pound fresh pasta -- 1/2 pound dried 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic -- peeled and sliced 3 cups prepped raw vegetables such as onion, pepper, squash, mushrooms, eggplant, spinach, or chard 1/4 cup fresh basil -- chopped 1 large tomato peeled, seeded, and chopped 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes -- crushed kosher salt -- to taste 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large pot. Add dried pasta, and cook to al dente-to the tooth- (just soft enough so that it still must be chewed). Drain in a colander. For fresh pasta, turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and hold water on warm until the vegetables are almost done before you cook the pasta. Put oil and garlic into a large skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook the garlic just until it begins to color, not beyond or it will burn and be bitter. Add the vegetables in the order that they will cook, starting with those that will take the longest. Move them constantly with a spatula so they will not overcook in one spot. For fresh pasta, reboil the water at this point, and cook the pasta during final minutes of cooking the vegetables. Drain. Add the herbs to the vegetables and mix to distribute. When the vegetables are almost cooked (still a bit too crunchy), add canned tomato and crushed pepper flakes, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 3-4 minutes to blend the flavors. Taste and add kosher salt if necessary.
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