This recipe was inspired by an Ottolenghi recipe that we made recently. We made Ottolenghi’s version of Puttanesca, a pasta dish with tomatoes, olives and capers. This recipe was special because he cooks the pasta in the sauce while it simmers. At the end of his recipe he says that once you try simmering pasta in sauce “you may not feel the need to boil pasta ever again”. Well, he was not wrong– the pasta was delicious and full of flavour. Since then, I have been trying out this method with great results. In this recipe we make a simple sauce and add some mascarpone at the end to give it a nice creamy taste. We add in roasted vegetables and then finish it off with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice for acidity. I hope you enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant
• 2 zucchini
• 1 red onion
• 8 cloves garlic
• 28 oz can san marzano tomatoes
• 1 tbsp italian seasoning  
• 2-2 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 10 oz farfalle pasta 
• Heaping ¼ cup mascarpone
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemons, to squeeze over top

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 F. Cube your eggplant and sprinkle salt over it generously. Let it sit for 15 minutes before cooking it. While it sits, half your zucchinis length wise, then cut it into thick slices to resemble the size of your cubed eggplant.
2. Get out two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Add the eggplant to one sheet and the zucchini to the other. Cover both sheets with 1 tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss and roast for 18-22 minutes, cooking to your preferred tenderness.
3. Slice your red onion into thin semi-circles and mince the garlic cloves. Using a fork, remove the tomatoes from the can and keep remaining juice for later. Once out, roughly chop the tomatoes.
4. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a heavy bottom pan or skillet (one that has a lid). Add the red onion to hot oil with generous pinches of salt and black pepper and 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning. Cook for 4-5 minutes until beginning to soften. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes before adding chopped tomatoes. Let simmer for 5 minutes
5. Take your remaining tomato juice and add to a large liquid measuring cup. Add enough vegetable broth to make 2 ⅔ cups liquid in total. Once the tomato mixture has simmered, add the broth mixture and the farfalle pasta. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 12-14 minutes with the lid on.
6. After 14 minutes your pasta should be al dente and there should be some liquid remaining. Add in the mascarpone and stir to incorporate. Taste and adjust salt level, I would recommend a few generous pinches. Lastly, mix in the roasted vegetables. Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a bit of parmesan. Enjoy!