Ratatouille Pasta & Presto! It's Pasta Night!

I am so honored to announce I will be hosting Presto Pasta Nights this week! For those of you who don't know what this is it's a weekly pasta event for bloggers that was started by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast. Any dish that includes pasta in one of its many forms is eligible. Be sure to mention that you are submitting it to Presto Pasta Nights with a link to the website and that I am hosting with a link back to me. Then send me your entries: cinnamonyspice (at) gmail (dot) com and cc ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com by Friday the 18th (by 3 p.m.) with the permalink, your name, your blog’s name, and the name of your dish. Check the submission guidelines for more information. Don't forget to check back here on Friday night for the round-up of carbilicious deliciousness!





My entry is this nourishing and wholesome Ratatouille pasta. Thinly sliced zucchini and eggplant are sauted and flavored with garlic, onion and Italian seasonings then simmered with tomatoes and artichokes to make this quick, easy and light dish. This is a new favorite of mine that I actually get cravings for. It's given me a new appreciation for zucchini, a veggie I've not thought of fondly in the past. This is a very forgiving recipe; add more veggies or omit one. My Mom makes it with just zucchini and tomato and it's really delicious. This recipe grew from hers. The secret here is to slice the zucchini and eggplant real thin and then into bite-size pieces or you will end-up with thick slices of mushy, unappealing vegetables. I eat this as a main dish but it may not be hearty enough for some. Serve it as a side(to Chicken Parmesan, mmm) or toss in a cooked protein like chicken or shrimp if that's the case. Serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin Olive oil, lots of Parmesan and a nice crusty bread.

Ratatouille Pasta

(by Reeni)(serves 3 as a main dish)

1 large Yellow Onion, diced

Olive oil for sauteing

Sea salt and fresh pepper

4 cloves Garlic, minced

3 cups Zucchini, peeled, thinly sliced(1/8 of an inch), cut into bite size pieces

3 cups Eggplant, peeled, thinly sliced(1/8 of an inch), cut into bite size pieces

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

14 ounce can of Artichokes, rinsed, chopped into bite size pieces

14 ounce can Diced Tomatoes

8 ounces Spaghetti (like Barila Whole Grain)

Extra Virgin Olive oil, for serving

Fresh grated Parmesan or Romano, for serving

1. Saute the yellow onion in a large skillet or saute pan with enough Olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, over medium-low heat until tender and translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic, saute until fragrant.

2. Add another tablespoon of Olive oil and the zucchini, eggplant and Italian seasoning. Continue sauteing until the zucchini and eggplant start to break down and become limp and tender.

3. Add the artichokes and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer for ten - fifteen minutes. Taste and re-season if needed.

4. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti to al dente according to package directions.

5 Toss with pasta and serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin Olive oil and Parmesan cheese.

Print Recipe

Have you switched to whole wheat or whole grain pastas yet? Have a hard time convincing your family to eat it? I have to share a secret: Barila Whole Grain tastes just like regular pasta. It has the same exact texture, flavor, and consistency. I've tried a lot of different whole wheat/grain ones where the texture or flavor was weird. I promise you this is not. Your family won't even know if you tell them it's regular pasta. I promise.




Ratatouille Pasta