Eggplant Pasta

Eggplant pasta became a household favorite quite a few years ago. I believe my mom found the recipe in a magazine, and made if for us a few times. But it was my older sister Mikken who really latched on to this recipe. She made this all the time for me when we were roommates back in the day! She's the one we turn to when we want eggplant pasta, she makes it the best. But I do try, and it does turn out! This recipe is pretty simple, just a lot of vegetables to chop and some baking time. This is a great recipe to make when you've got a lot of fresh veggies lying around. It has a really fresh taste, and it great if you're looking for a pasta without a heavy sauce. This recipe would work really well with a variety of vegetables. For the peppers I prefer red and yellow, not so much the green, but any combo will do. Same with the onion, you could use white or yellow, but the red ones are just so sweet. I've used crookneck squash as well as zucchini, which is a great addition!

The recipe says to bake the vegetables on a sheet pan at 425 degrees. This tends to take a really long time for the veggies to get soft. So the last time I did it I broiled the vegetables and they got done in about 20 minutes. However, I think I did sacrifice taste for speed. The vegetables definitely tasted better and had more depth of flavor when I bake them. (But broiling really will work fine.)

This is a great recipe and seems quite impressive when you whip it up! Mikken, let me know if I left anything out of the recipe.

Eggplant Pasta:
Cut pieces, all same size:
2 red onions
1-3 multi-colored peppers (red, yellow, green)
1 baby egg plant
3-4 zucchini
8 oz mushrooms (about a prepackaged box)

Sauce:
5 cloves of garlic, diced
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil

Combine oil, vinegar and spices, pour over vegetables (works best in a bowl, mix around until all are covered). Lay vegetables in single layer on two baking sheets.
Bake at 425, for 30-45 minutes, or until soft.

Cook 1 lb. mastaccoli pasta (or any you choose) Mix cooked pasta with cooked vegetables in large bowl. Ready to serve!