Penne with Roasted Eggplant, Peppers and Olives

Really Tasty Pasta Dish!

I know it doesn't look like much, but this was a really flavorful dish. Roasting the vegetables is the trick. It brings out the sweetness and creates a yummy sauce from all the juices.

My inspiration for this recipe came from Ina Garden's recipe Orzo with Roasted Vegetables.
I used the same dressing and it really gives the pasta a nice zing!

With the holiday fast approaching things have been pretty hectic lately. Between nursing a back ache and now trying to get over a cold, it has been a real challenge to get anything done. I did manage to bake my usual cookie marathon. I made so many cookies, bars and brownies that my head is still spinning. I spent all day Saturday from 9:30am to 9:30pm decorating and packaging them all. Now I have to figure out how to deliver all of them in the mist of all these snow storms. I got over a foot of snow in my neck of the woods.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday!
Happy cooking and baking!

Penne with Roasted Eggplant, Peppers and Olives

1 medium/large eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
2 red bell peppers, 1-inch diced
1 large leek, ends cut off, cut vertically, 3/4 inch sliced and washed thoroughly
2 cups black olives, pitted and left whole
3 medium shallots, quartered
8 garlic cloves, left whole
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound penne or your favorite pasta shape
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, leeks, shallots, olives and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 45 minutes, until browned, turning once halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid; drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. If the pasta is a little dry add some of the cooking liquid. Add the pignolis, Pecorino, and parsley. Taste for seasoning and serve. May also be served at room temperature.

Eggplant and Tomato Tart

Beautiful, Delicious but...
Slightly Flawed

This tart was inspired by a recipe from Cooking Light. First I have to say, the topping was phenomenal. The flavors were just fantastic! All of the fresh veggies and herbs were complimented by the flavorful cheeses. It was a like a party where everyone got along, right in your mouth.

In the CL recipe a cracker-like crust was the base for the tart. It didn't seem too complicated, actually it was very easy to make, but I thought I would be different and make a fillo crust since I had some in the freezer.

BIG MISTAKE. Of course the outer edges look golden and beautiful, but the underneath was soft and soggy. I should have known better. I mean it was edible, but I was disappointed that you couldn't pick up a piece and take a bite like a pizza. :( So If you want to make this recipe, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to use a fillo crust, but if you're like me and prefer a crunchy crust, use one of your own tried and true crust recipes.

Eggplant and Tomato Tart

Crust:

16 - 20 sheets of fillo
Butter flavored cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut a half circle through 16-20 sheets of fillo, 1" larger than the tart pan. Overlap the 1/2 circle sheets in the center to form a full circle to fit the pan (the fillo circle should be large enough to go completely up the sides of the pan), spraying each layer with cooking spray as you go along.

Bake empty tart shell for about 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Filling:

1 large or 2 medium eggplants (about 1 lb), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
2 garden tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 6 ounces)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded scamorza or mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tablespoons grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
Butter flavored cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°.
Arrange eggplant on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels; brush eggplant with 1/2 teaspoon oil. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on 2 baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Stack eggplant slices on a plate; cover with plastic wrap. Let eggplant stand to steam while preparing next ingredients.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, oregano, parsley, and mint. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons scamorza on bottom of baked crust. Layer eggplant and tomatoes in crust, sprinkling evenly with garlic-herb mixture; sprinkle with remaining scamorza and Romano cheese. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 4 large wedges.

Fairy Tale Vegetable Casserole

Eat Your Vegetables...And Live Happily Ever After

I finally made it to my local farmers market this year. I know pretty sad, huh. I don't know what took me so long. I actually do love shopping at the local farms, stands and farmers markets for garden fresh produce. It is more of an experience, than a shopping trip. You get to see and smell all the fabulous fruits and vegetables bursting with color at their absolute freshest state!

You also get to learn about produce that you've never had before, like the fairy tale eggplant. These beautiful mini purple and white eggplant caught my eye right away. And what a perfect name for them. They are so fun and whimsical that they could be in a "fairy tale". There were several "regular shoppers" of the farmers market ready to give out their recipes using this little gem. They all sounded great, but the one I liked the sound of, involved steaming the eggplant along with zucchini, summer squash, garden tomatoes, and fresh herbs together and then baking it all in a casserole with cheese. YUM! I came up with my own healthy version and it was fantastic!


Fairy Tale Vegetable Casserole
by Mixed Salad Annie

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 fairy tale eggplant, 1/2 inch thick crosswise slices
1 medium zucchini, 1/2 inch thick crosswise slices
1 small summer squash, 1/2 inch thick crosswise slices
1 large garden tomato, diced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and quartered, Optional
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped and divided
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 small bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Place a heavy pan or dutch oven over medium heat; add the oil, shallot and garlic. Stir and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, squash, zucchini, artichokes, tomatoes, 6 tablespoons basil, 3 tablespoons parsley, pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir to combine; cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are softened, about 10-13 minutes.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and add the vegetable mixture. Top with the breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Spray the top lightly with cooking spray and place baking dish in oven. Bake for about 10 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Sprinkle the remaining basil and parsley on top and serve.