Pasta With Eggplant and Zucchini

The secret is to salt the eggplant for 10 minutes, rinse and dry. Then dry fry it first to drive out the moisture and add the oil after it starts to brown.

I enjoyed this dish but the instructions for cooking the eggplant and zucchini were a problem. The eggplant immediately absorbed what little oil was in the pan and it was difficult to "toss" until browned--more like scrape and stir. By the time the zucchini was tender the eggplant was mush. If I make this again I'll try using a nonstick pan for that step, or I'll roast the vegetables instead.

Cook the vegetables first. Add tomatoes later and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Add both parsley and basil, off the heat, at the end.

I grilled the eggplant and the zucchini, which gave it a little bit of a smoky taste. Loved that. I also used some cherry tomatoes I had frozen last summer instead of the canned tomatoes. This is kind of a "No Recipe" recipe - you can use whatever veggie you have a surplus of! IT was a hit at the family table and will be in th rotation this summer!

Prior to cooking, I lightly salt the cubed zucchini or other squash and let rest in a colander for about 20 minutes to bring out the moisture. Then I roll in a tea towel to dry. The squash will then brown nicely and retains a nice bite - doesn't get mushy.

Would it be possible to get nutritional information for each recipe? As someone who is diabetic I would find serving size and the number of carbohydrates per serving extremely helpful.

I salted the eggplant and let it sit for fifteen minutes, then cooked it separately from the zucchini. Thanks for the warning!

This is a tasty dish. I used fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped into large chunks, instead of the canned variety, and they cooked down really well. I also had some fingerling potatoes, which I cooked with the vegies, and they added some heft. Be sure to use the red pepper flakes, as they make the dish more tasty. The zucchini should be chopped smaller than the one-inch slices that the recipe recommends.

Made the sauce and roasted the eggplant and zucchini ahead of time. So when guests arrived, I warmed it back up and made pasta. Everyone loved it, even the Italian native.

I followed the suggestion of another reader who roasted the veggies rather than pan frying. Roasting is my favorite way to prepare veggies! A very nice recipe...I will make again!

This is a great end of summer pasta dish. I used fresh tomatoes plus a can of diced. Don't skimp on the oregano, it makes the dish. Pass around extra chilli flakes. I used whole grain pasta. I am surprised at the high calorie count here, as it is a very healthy dish.

The calorie count is off. If you add up the calories for the individual ingredients in the quantities specified, and divide by four servings, the actual count comes out to about half of the amount given.

A fine and reliable dish. It invites variation. Mine, recently is to use one of those kitchen toys that turns zucchini into thick "noodles." While the tomato-eggplant sauce is simmering, I sautee the zucchini lightly; it holds its texture. Then top with the sauce for a nicely carb-free meal.

I made this tonight but didn't feel like using so many pans: I sautéed the eggplant and zucchini first and then added the ingredients for the tomato sauce and cooked the whole thing while the pasta was boiling. I thought it was great-very light and perfect for summer. Thanks to those who gave the tip about salting the eggplant-it made a huge difference!

From my experience on a very restricted diet regimen: you could keep some sauce and a bit of pasta aside for yourself. Then eat the sauce as a stew with a minimal amount of pasta mixed in. Not counting the sugars and carbs, just minimizing or avoiding them, frees you to enjoy a wide range of recipes.