Ingredients:
2 eggplants about 2 pounds total, stemmed and cut into ½ inch slices
Salt and pepper
3 red onions
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and quartered
½ cup chopped fresh basil
¼-1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (to your taste)
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp dried red pepper flakes
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 pound dry farfalle or rotini pasta
Optional: (which I always do!!)
1 zucchini sliced
Portobello mushroom slices
Lay eggplants slices on a baking sheet and liberally sprinkle both sides with salt; let sit for 15 to 20 minutes (this draws out excess moisture along with any bitterness the eggplant may have). Wipe off the salt and pat dry.
Preheat grill or broiler. Grill/Broil eggplant, onion, (zucchini and mushroom) slices until just tender, turning occasionally. Let cool slightly and coarsely chop them. Grill red pepper skin towards heat until skin becomes charred. Put the peppers in a plastic bag for 10 minutes. Take them from the bag and peel off and discard skin. Coarsely chop the peppers.
Combine the eggplant, onion,( zucchini and mushroom) pepper, basil, mint, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl and toss to mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pour over the vegetables. Toss to coat them well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand at least one hour.
Just before serving, bring a large pot of water to boil and add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well and toss pasta with grilled vegetables and herb mixture.
Makes 6 servings. (I usually halve the recipe because it makes a lot!)
