Summer Pasta With Grilled Eggplant Sauce Food

GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLE PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes (reserving the juice for another use if desired). Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with your hand, adding them to the saucepan as you go. Season with salt and pepper. Add the basil and parsley sprigs (reserve the chopped herbs for later) and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a very low simmer for about 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
• While the sauce cooks, heat a large double-burner grill pan over medium-high heat. Toss the pepper, squash, zucchini and onion with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, making sure to coat all sides. Sprinkle with salt and grill, turning once, until well-marked and crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the vegetable. Transfer the onion to a large mixing bowl. Transfer the pepper, squash and zucchini to a cutting board and cut crosswise into strips. Add to the bowl with the onion and cover with foil.
• Cook the penne in the boiling water according to package directions. Drain and add to the bowl with the vegetables. Remove the herb sprigs from the sauce and stir in half of the chopped herbs. Add to the bowl and toss to coat.
• Serve the pasta in bowls topped with the remaining chopped herbs and Parmesan.

PASTA WITH GRILLED EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Slice the eggplants horizontally one-half-inch thick. Dust the slices with salt, place in a colander over a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Light a barbecue or an oven broiler.
• After 30 minutes rinse the salted eggplant in cold water and pat dry on paper towels. Brush the eggplant slices with four tablespoons of the olive oil and grill or broil them, turning them once, until they are lightly browned.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
• While the water is coming to a boil, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until it turns golden, add the garlic and saute a few seconds longer. Chop the grilled eggplant and add it to the skillet. Remove from heat.
• Boil the pasta until it is al dente, about eight minutes. Drain it. Reheat the onion and eggplant mixture in the skillet and add the tomatoes. Mix. Add the pasta, mix again, fold in the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Serve at once with Parmesan cheese on the side.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread out eggplant cubes and peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 3 tablespoons oil and season well with salt. Roast, turning everything, until eggplant and peppers are very soft and deeply golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in well-salted boiling water until about 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain.
• Using the large holes of a box grater, grate tomatoes over a large skillet so the pulp falls into the skillet. To do this, hold on to the curved side of the tomato in your hand and slide the cut, flat side across the holes. Stop grating just before you reach the skin.
• Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan with the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer until tomato pulp is reduced by half, then season to taste with salt.
• Add the pasta, capers and butter, if using, to the pan with the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, tossing until butter melts and pasta finishes cooking, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and toss in eggplant and cheese, if using.
• Serve pasta drizzled with a little more oil and the herbs.

PASTA WITH GRILLED SAUSAGE, PEPPERS AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Light a grill and preheat for at least 10 minutes or preheat a grill pan. Arrange the grill so half cooks over high heat and the other half can cook over moderately low heat. Meanwhile, soak 1 small bamboo skewer for 10 minutes.
• Prick the sausage links in a few places with a fork. Brush the peppers and eggplant slices all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Oil the grill grates, then grill the sausage over moderate heat, turning frequently, until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, grill the peppers over high heat, turning occasionally, until blackened all over, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool slightly.
• Grill the eggplant over high heat until dark brown grill marks form, about 4 minutes. Flip and grilled until charred and the eggplant is tender, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer to the cutting board.
• Slice the sausages about 1/3 inch thick and transfer to a large serving bowl. Dice the eggplant and add it to the sausage. Peel the peppers, then discard the stems and seeds; slice into bite-sized strips and add it to the sausage and peppers.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain. Add the pasta and the 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bowl and toss. Add the 1 ounce of cheese and toss again, adding pasta water, little by little, if you need to loosen the pasta sauce. Season with salt and pepper, add the basil and transfer to bowls. Serve the pasta, passing more cheese at the table.