People say there are no seasons in Southern California. And while the sun may be shining 360 days out of the year, there are still those evenings that get a bit chilly. When that happens, I like to break out some comforting food, to help me keep warm and my belly full. This simple roasted eggplant pasta recipe often does the trick.
I’ve never been a huge fan of heavy tomato based sauces. To me, having a simple oil and garlic based sauce, with just the right amount of spices and a variety of flavorful roasted vegetables is way more appetizing (not to mention authentic). For this recipe I used eggplant because it was available at the co-op, but you could even use zucchini or any other type of squash. Play around with what’s in season and available!
This is a very simple and satisfying recipe that doesn’t take much effort to prepare– just throw veggies in the oven and put on top of pasta!
Simple Roasted Eggplant Pasta
Serves approximately 2 people
- 1/2 lb linguine pasta
- 1 medium sized eggplant
- 3 roma tomatoes
- 1 bunch kale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little more, if needed)
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, cracked black pepper to taste
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F. Chop the eggplant and tomatoes into rounds. Chop the kale into thick slices. I eat the stems, but some people prefer not to.
Step 2: Over medium heat, gently sauté the garlic in the 2 tablespoons of oil, taking care not to burn it!
Step 3: Place the chopped vegetables in a lightly oiled large baking dish, trying not to overlap if possible. I like to grease the baking dish with coconut oil, because it’s got a high smoke point, and adds a light flavor to the veggies. Canola oil will also work.
Step 4: Pour the garlic and olive oil over the veggies, coating each as much as possible. You don’t want to drown them in oil (they will get crispy if you do), but you do want a little moisture on each one. Add a little extra olive oil if you need to.
Step 5: Sprinkle the chopped vegetables with garlic powder, salt, chopped/dried basil, thyme, rosemary, and cracked black pepper.
Step 6: Bake for about 1 hour, or until eggplant is tender and starting to brown.
Step 7: Toward the end of the baking time, boil 2 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons of salt. Once the water is at a nice, rolling boil, add in 1/2 lb of pasta. and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and add a bit of oil, so it doesn’t stick.
Step 8: Once the eggplant looks done, and the tomatoes are nice and crinkly, gently scoop out the veggies and herbs and place on top of the pasta.
Serve immediately with crusty bread!
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