Penne with Provencal Eggplant & Sweet Peppe
Submitted by LadyLisa
Penne with Provencal eggplant, slow-caramelized sweet peppers, garlic, and fresh basil in a lemony Italian-herb dressing. A meatless pasta bowl built on long, gentle cooking.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis is Provencal cooking in one pasta bowl, where the payoff is about patience. Roasted eggplant gets tossed with penne, slow-cooked peppers and onions, garlic, a bright lemon-olive oil dressing, and a generous fistful of fresh basil at the end.
Roasting the eggplant dry on a baking sheet with olive oil, rather than salting and frying it, drives off water and concentrates flavor. The cubes turn silky and almost jammy without going mushy. Thirty minutes at 400°F (200°C) is the sweet spot, and watching for softness is more important than the clock.
The onion-pepper melt is the real time commitment: 35 to 45 minutes over very low heat. That long, slow cook is what pulls out the natural sugars and turns ordinary bell peppers into sweet, almost caramelized ribbons. Rush this step with high heat and you get scorched peppers and raw onions instead.
Rinsing the pasta in cold water after draining is unusual but intentional here: this dish is served closer to room temperature, so stopping the cooking keeps the penne from turning gummy in the dressing.
Kitchen Tips
- Use firm, glossy eggplant. Soft spots mean bitter fruit, which no amount of oil can fix.
- Cut vegetables uniform. Even pieces cook evenly, which matters when peppers and onions share the pan.
- Tear basil leaves rather than chopping. Chopped basil bruises and blackens. Torn leaves stay green.
- Dress just before serving. Pasta salads soak up dressing over time, and the eggplant can turn heavy if it sits too long.
Variations
- Add halved Kalamata olives and capers for a briny, more Niçoise feel.
- Crumble goat cheese or feta over the top for a tangy finish.
- Swap penne for orecchiette or farfalle for more texture with chunky vegetables.
Ingredients
Directions
Place eggplant cubes in a shallow baking pan; toss with ⅓ cup olive oil, sprinkle with salt to taste, and bake at 400℉ (200℃). until cubes are soft but still hold their shape, about 30 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
Heat ¼ cup olive ol in a large heavy frying pan; add onions and sweet peppers and cook over very low heat until vegetables are quite tender and slightly caramellized, about 35 to 45 minutes.
Stir in garlic and salt and pepper to taste.
Cook 5 minutes longer.
Combine the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, Italian spices, and salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk and reserve.
Cook pasta in 4 quarts boiling water until al dente.
Drain and rinse well in cold water, then drain again.
With a sharp knife, diagonally slice each piece of pasta in half crosswise.
Toss in a large bowl with onion mixture and reserve dressing.
Toss eggplant cubes and chopped basil with pasta.
Garnish with basil leaves.
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