One-Pot Ratatouille Pasta
This one-pot dish that’s ready in 30 minutes is a weeknight dinner must make. The pasta has all the beloved flavors and vegetables of the classic summer stew, ratatouille, but made faster and fresher. Cooking the eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and bell pepper in stages allows the flavors to be drawn out more and for the textures to vary from bite to bite. Choosing a shorter pasta shape with ridges or curves will allow even more of the summery sauce to hold on to those noodles.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1small globe eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
- 1medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 3medium plum tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- 1pound short pasta, such as rotini
- 2medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1medium orange bell pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2basil sprigs
- Freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Pour 1/4 cup oil into a large, wide pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the tomato paste and gently fry, stirring occasionally, until slightly caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes. (The oil will become a bright shade of orange.) Add the Italian seasoning and stir until combined.Step 2
To the pot, add the eggplant, onion, half the tomatoes, all the garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss until vegetables are coated with the tomato-infused oil. The eggplant will absorb most if not all the oil. Add 3 cups water, the pasta and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook the pasta for half the time listed for al dente on the package directions, 4 to 6 minutes.Step 3
Remove the lid and stir well to combine pasta with the sauce. Add the zucchini, peppers, remaining tomatoes and a few grinds of black pepper. Fold to combine, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until pasta is al dente and peppers are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove lid, and turn off heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve in shallow bowls and top with torn basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan, if using.