Have I mentioned I love pasta? I believe I have. I think pasta gets a bad rep for being “heavy.”  There are so many great pasta dishes that are light and delicious.

 Eggplant was on sale at my local market and I couldn’t resist whipping up some fantastic pasta. Eggplant is easy to prepare. Just use a fork to stick it a few times, place it on a baking sheet, pop it into a 350 degree F oven for about an hour, let cool for 15-20 minutes, slice in half, and scoop out flesh. I admit it’s a few steps, but it’s not complicated and it adds complexity to your pasta. 

Linguine with Eggplant, Red Pepper, and Tomato

Serves 2-3

Prep time 8-10 minutes, Cook time 90 minutes

Ingredients 

• 1 eggplant (approximately 1 to 1.5 pounds)
• 1/2 pound of linguine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (1/2 cup)
• Half a red pepper, diced (1/3 cup)
• 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil 
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Using a fork, prick the eggplant several times. Place on a baking sheet and put in your preheated oven to bake for approximately 1 hour. Set aside and let cool, 15-20 minutes. 

In the mean time, bring a pot of water to boil. Add a pinch of salt and linguine to your pot and cook pasta to al dente, approximately 10-12 minutes. Drain pasta but make sure to reserve 1/4 cup of cooked pasta water. 

In a sauté pan, pour in olive oil and set heat to medium. Add onions and red peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, mix in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Pour in diced tomatoes and basil. Cook for 8-10 minutes, allowing liquid to reduce. While this is cooking, cut your cooled eggplant in half and scoop out flesh. When the liquid is reduced in your pan, add the eggplant. Mix together, add salt and pepper to taste, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until eggplant is heated through. 

  
In a serving bowl, add linguine, 1/4 cup of reserved water, and the contents of your sauté pan. Toss to coat. Serve and enjoy!