Penne with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.