Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Name: Penne with Roasted Vegetables
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-in. chunks; 2 small zucchinis, cut into 1-in. chunks; 1 large red or green sweet pepper, (or small 1 of each), cut into 1-in. squares; 2 huge portobello mushrooms, (or 3 or 4 smaller ones), stems removed and cut into thick slices; 1 medium red onion, cut into 1-in. chunks; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp dried oregano, (or Italian seasonings); 1/4 tsp black pepper; 3 cups uncooked penne, or other large shape pasta (about 375 g); grated Parmesan, or Asiago for sprinkling

Makes4 servings

Photo: Maya Visnyei

The beauty of this recipe is that each chunk of vegetable is big enough to retain its own flavour (your child might actually discover he loves mushrooms!) and can be easily picked out (if necessary, sigh).

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-in. chunks
2 small zucchinis, cut into 1-in. chunks
1 large red or green sweet pepper, (or small 1 of each), cut into 1-in. squares
2 huge portobello mushrooms, (or 3 or 4 smaller ones), stems removed and cut into thick slices
1 medium red onion, cut into 1-in. chunks
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano, (or Italian seasonings)
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cups uncooked penne, or other large shape pasta (about 375 g)
grated Parmesan, or Asiago for sprinkling

Instructions

In a very large bowl, toss together the cubed eggplant, zucchini, red or green pepper, mushrooms and onion. This is especially fun for a kid to do. Pick up and wash off anything that lands in the dog dish.
Add the chopped garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano and pepper. Toss again. Dump out onto a very large roasting pan or cookie sheet so the vegetables are in a single layer. If necessary, you can use two pans to avoid having the veggies all piled up - they won't roast nicely if they’re crowded. Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring about halfway through the roasting time. The vegetables should be tender and even slightly charred, but not burned to a crisp.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but not mushy. Drain, then return to the pot. Add the roasted vegetables, scraping in some of the burnt stuff off the bottom, too. Toss to mix, then sprinkle with grated cheese and serve immediately.
Leftovers are delicious served cold or at room temperature as a pasta salad. Throw in a bit more shredded cheese (or crumbled feta), a chopped tomato and a bit more balsamic vinegar. Stupendous.

This article was originally published on Oct 01, 2002

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