Vegetarian Eggplant and Zucchini Fusilli

This vegetarian pasta can be on your table in 30 minutes, it’s all in the prep. Yes the  the prep is the most time consuming.

Cooking at the restaurant was easier,   the prep cooks come in at wee hours of the morning to prep for the day.

I try to do the same in my hone kitchen, I don’t like to prep, never did but i find that if a spend one extra hour prepping for two or three meals

Am a happy cook .

Back to the pasta, this recipe was inspired by an eggplant, zucchini,potato and tomato stew my mother made. in summer

.I loved it with crusty fresh baked bread dipped in the sauce, so I reconstructed Mama’s recipe and came up with this one.

I left out the potatoes, added some marinara along with the fresh tomatoes and tossed it with fusilli. You can use any pasta you like.

I like fusilli because it’s spiral shape has nooks and crannies for the sauce to cling to.

Sometimes  I don’t add pasta and serve it cold as a side dish…..great for those summer meals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

1/2 lbs fusilli pasta

1 cup each large diced eggplant and zucchini

1 cup chopped spinach

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 Tb’s. chopped garlic

2 tbs each shopped Italian parsley and basil

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs each olive oil and butter

Process…

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon mixed herbs ( preferably homegrown)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook your pasta in salted water with 1 Tbs olive oil

In a saute pan heat the oil and butter

Saute the onion and garlic until golden

Add eggplant and tomatoes cook covered for 10 minutes.

Add zucchini and spinach cook 10 more minutes

Drain pasta add to sauce sprinkle with Parmesan, Italian parsley and basil…ENJOY!!!!