If you love carbs like we love carbs, you’ll never swear off them entirely. This recipe is the real deal. Our executive editor Lauren Brody once lost 35 pounds of college weight by eating pasta almost every night. She says, “It’s all about whole-wheat pasta and portion control.” Slow- roasting vegetables with fresh herbs builds layers of low-cal flavor, and the ricotta—part-skim works—makes everything creamy without heavy cheeses. If you haven’t tried whole-wheat pasta, don’t hesitate: It doesn’t work in all dishes, but here it adds an earthy nuttiness that complements the rustic veggies perfectly. Our favorite brands are Barilla Plus, De Cecco, and Bionaturae, all available at supermarkets nationally.
SERVES: 2 to 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 red or yellow bell peppers
- One ½-pound eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces
- One ½-pound zucchini, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 6 tablespoons fresh herbs (ideally a mix of thyme, sage, and rosemary), finely chopped
- 2 medium red onions, cut into ½-inch wedges
- 2 leeks, pale and green parts only, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (see tip below on cleaning and cutting leeks)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¾ to 1 pound penne or fusilli (preferably whole wheat)
- ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 cup whole milk or part-skim ricotta cheese, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the broiler. Broil the peppers on the top rack 4 to 5 inches from the heat, turning occasionally until the skins are blistered and a little charred, about 9 minutes. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let stand until cool, about 20 minutes. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin, discard the seeds, and chop.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the eggplant and zucchini with 2 tablespoons oil, the garlic, and the chopped herb mixture. Meanwhile, on a second baking sheet, toss the onions and leeks with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season both with salt and pepper. Spread out in an even layer and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning with a spatula a few times, until the vegetables start to brown around the edges. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
- While the vegetables are roasting, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain.
- Add the pasta to the bowl with the roasted vegetables. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, basil, parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to combine. Serve with the ricotta in a small bowl on the side for stirring into pasta.
TIP:
- Leeks need to be cleaned thoroughly before cooking. First, trim them just above the roots, then cut away the dark green leaves from the other end of the stalk. With a small sharp knife, cut the leek from end to end, halfway through to the center core. Pull back the leaves and flush out all the dirt under running water. Shake to dry before following any other cooking instructions.
