Sunday, January 6, 2013

Roasted Tomato & Eggplant Pasta


When the weather starts getting chilly, pasta is the first dish I reach for! I am always trying to make pasta dishes a bit lighter and this one was a winner! I love the meaty texture of  roasted eggplant and it pairs perfectly with the super sweet roasted tomatoes. I also love when alot of the cooking time is done in the oven and I don't even have to do anything! 

This is recipe I saw from Rachael Ray. She always comes up with awesome pasta dishes so I knew this one would be delicious.  Any pasta would work with this dish. I used whole wheat spaghetti,but I think penne or rigatoni would be equally delicious. On a side note, do you ever wish they offered other types of pastas in whole wheat? What I would do for whole wheat orichiette or angle hair. I could just be acting picky, but I long for every type of pasta in whole wheat. A girl can dream. 


  • Roasted Tomato & Eggplant Pasta

















  • Ingredients:
  • eggplants (about 2 pounds)
  • pound linguine pasta
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 14 1/2 ounce can  chopped tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

  • Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Pierce the eggplants all over, place on a baking sheet and cook until very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly, then cut each eggplant in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl; discard the skin.
  2. Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
  3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice and cook until the liquid has reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir in the eggplant; heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add the pasta and basil; toss to coat. Add the reserved pasta cooking water as needed.





5 comments:

  1. I need to cook with eggplant more. Often I tend to dice them too small, but I like how you don't shy away from them. I'll have to give it a shot!

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    Replies
    1. It's really yummy Jeff! Go for it! I just roast it usually for 25 mins and don't even take the skin off. Easy Peasy!

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  2. Hi Leanne!

    RR's pasta recipe looks a little bit like Pasta alla Norma, a yummy Sicilian dish served with penne and ricotta salata. I found this post, that while using spaghetti, is a decent version:
    http://italiandish.squarespace.com/imported-20090913150324/2011/9/22/pasta-alla-norma.html

    Also, Barilla makes it's "PLUS" (high protein/high fiber, made with additional stuff like lentils) and it's "whole grain" pastas in shapes and angel hair & fettuccini.

    Thanks for your blog!
    ~Charlotte

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Charlotte! That recipe looks amazing. I <3 Ricotta Salata! And thanks for the pasta info! I really like the barilla plus pastas because it doesn't even taste like it is healthier!!!

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  3. So simple, yet so delicious! Great recipe, Leanne!

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