Whole-Wheat Pasta with Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes

One of my best friends gave me a cookbook last year for my birthday. Thanks Meg! I have tried a few recipes, but found this one to be a favorite. This dish is healthy and has lots of flavor. Enjoy. ~Ali

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds eggplant, peeled in alternating stripes and cut into ¾ inch pieces

1 large onion, halved and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

2 pints cherry tomatoes

Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

¼ cup olive oil

¾ pound whole-wheat penne

¼ cup sliced pitted kalamata or oil-cured black olives

½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a medium roasting pan, combine the eggplant, onion, tomatoes, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and oil; toss well to coat. Roast until tender, tossing mixture halfway through, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water; drain the pasta, and return to the pot.

Add the roasted eggplant mixture, olives, and parmesan. Toss to coat, adding ¼ to ½ of the reserved pasta water, if desired-I RECOMMEND. Serve immediately, sprinkled with more cheese.