As much as I love to cook, preparing inspiring meals during the week can be a challenge. Add to that we have been trying to eat less meat. We thought now was a good time to try a meal kit delivery service. After doing some research, we landed on Purple Carrot which is all vegan and has some good gluten-free options. We have been pleased with the quality of the recipes and foods and have even tried some new things. It’s fun to share in the prep work and to see how the meal turns out. We’ve also picked up some tips from the recipes.

This is a catch all pasta made up of vegetables we got from our Bryn Clovis Farm box including beautiful eggplant, cherry tomatoes and a variety of peppers. I borrowed a technique for cooking the eggplant from one of the Purple Carrot recipes. After peeling the eggplant, cut it into one-inch slices and place on a baking sheet. Brush basil pesto (more inspiring than simply olive oil) on each side of the eggplant and roast in the oven. The eggplant comes out soft and fluffy with a nice pesto flavor. 

The rest of the vegetables I sautéed on top of the stove. If you have any other vegetables, toss them in. Once the pasta is cooked, toss it with some additional pesto, top it with the cooked vegetables and a sprinkling of grated cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano.

While you can use store bought pesto, check out Riegl Palate’s Freezer Basil Pesto recipe. 

Summer Vegetable-Pesto Pasta

 

Summer Vegetable-Pesto Pasta
Print
Recipe type: Main Dish
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
  • ~ ½ cup basil pesto, divided (see Notes)
  • 4 ounces penne or other short pasta (regular or gluten-free)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large shallots, cut into half circles
  • 2 peppers (red, yellow or orange), seeds removed and cut into thin slices
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • For serving: Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Place eggplant slices on the baking sheet and brush with pesto on each side (about 2 tablespoons).
  3. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes and then flip. Roast for another 10 to 15 minutes until the eggplant is soft and browned.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta according to the directions until al dente. Start remaining vegetables about halfway through the water boiling.
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  6. Add shallots and peppers and cook until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  7. Add garlic and stir for 1 minute.
  8. Add tomatoes and stir. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
  9. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
  10. Cut eggplant rounds into quarters.
  11. Add pasta to a bowl and toss with pesto. Top with eggplant and sautéed vegetables. Sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve immediately.
Notes
* Riegl Palate’s Freezer Basil Pesto recipe you can add cheese to the pesto before using it in this recipe (for the eggplant and pasta) or simply use extra when you serve.
* Recipe can easily be doubled. You may need an extra baking sheet for the roasted eggplant.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe