Penne With Provencal Eggplant & Sweet Peppe

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Servings: 6 Difficulty: Advanced
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A vibrant vegetarian pasta dish featuring roasted eggplant, slow-caramelized peppers, and a zesty lemon-herb dressing.
Penne With Provencal Eggplant & Sweet Peppe recipe image
Penne With Provencal Eggplant & Sweet Peppe recipe image
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Penne With Provencal Eggplant & Sweet Peppe

Author: chefs-mate Cooking Method: , , Cuisine: Courses:
Difficulty: Advanced
Servings: 6 Calories: 361.9

Description

This delightful Penne with Provenal Eggplant and Sweet Peppers offers a rustic yet elegant take on Italian-French fusion cuisine. The dish highlights the natural sweetness of slow-cooked bell peppers and onions, balanced by the earthy depth of roasted eggplant cubes. A bright dressing of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and dried herbes de Provence ties the flavors together, while firm penne pasta provides a satisfying texture. Perfect for a light weeknight dinner or a summer barbecue side dish, this recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free if using certified pasta. Its a wholesome, flavorful meal that brings the warmth of the Mediterranean to your table without requiring complex techniques or hard-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
  2. Cut the eggplants into 1-inch cubes; do not peel.
  3. Place eggplant cubes in a shallow baking pan and toss with 1/2 cup olive oil.
  4. Sprinkle with salt to taste and bake until cubes are soft but still hold their shape, about 30 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
  6. While eggplant bakes, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large heavy frying pan over very low heat.
  7. Add sliced onions and sweet bell peppers.
  8. Cook slowly until vegetables are quite tender and slightly caramelized, about 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Stir in minced garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste; cook for 5 minutes longer.
  10. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, herbes de provence, and salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Whisk the dressing until emulsified and reserve.
  12. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil and cook penne until very al dente.
  13. Drain pasta and rinse well in cold water, then drain again thoroughly.
  14. With a sharp knife, diagonally slice each piece of pasta in half crosswise.
  15. In a large bowl, toss the halved pasta with the onion and pepper mixture and the reserved dressing.
  16. Fold in the cooled eggplant cubes and chopped fresh basil.
  17. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh basil leaves.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 361.9kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 40.1g62%
Saturated Fat 5.6g28%
Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
Sodium 1.0mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 2.0g1%
Dietary Fiber 1.0g4%
Sugars 1.2g
Protein 0.3g1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Keywords: penne, eggplant, provenal, vegetarian, vegan, pasta, bell peppers, onions, herbes de provence, lemon, roasted, caramelized, mediterranean, healthy, weeknight dinner, summer, olive oil, garlic, basil, italian-french
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