Angel Hair Pasta with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce

Last night's meal was quite a learning experience for me. I don't know if I was tired or what, but I just wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. I don't ever cook with eggplant so I just did what the recipe said to do. Looking back, I should have peeled the eggplant. The recipe doesn't say to do it, but it was kind of chewy and I didn't like it. Our grill is also still inopperable, so I cooked the eggplant and red peppers in the oven. I did not however read the instructions on how to do that until I was done with every thing else. So, if you don't plan on grilling the veggies (which I think will make this taste even better) read the NOTE at the bottom. :)

Other than me being totally not in my head, the meal was good. The flavors were good and my husband said he really liked it. Oh, I also just used a can of diced tomatoes which saved a lot of time. The meal was quick and easy to make.

Pasta with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce

* 1 medium raw eggplant, baby-variety, sliced into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick rounds

* 1 medium sweet red pepper(s), cut into 8 strips

* 1 sprays olive oil cooking spray

* 3/4 tsp table salt, divided

* 1 medium garlic clove(s), minced

* 2 large tomato(es), coarsely chopped

* 1/4 small tsp crushed red pepper flakes

* 1/8 tsp black pepper

* 2 Tbsp basil, fresh, minced

* 2 Tbsp chives, fresh, minced

* 1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth

* 8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained

* 4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled (I used mixed cheeses, since my kids won't eat feta)

1. Preheat grill to medium.*See Note at Bottom*
Place eggplant slices and pepper strips in a grill basket (or place vegetables on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil with holes poked in it to allow smoke through). Off heat, coat vegetables with cooking spray; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Place on grill and cook until lightly browned and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces; set aside.

2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over low-medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until slightly pulpy, about 1 minute more(if using canned you don't have to wait before adding the veggies).

3. Stir in vegetables, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil, chives and broth; increase heat to medium-high. Cook until broth is slightly reduced and mixture has a sauce consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add pasta and toss to coat. (We just placed it on top of the pasta on our plates). Stir in cheese just before serving.

Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Notes * You can roast the vegetables if you prefer. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place vegetables on prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Roast, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.Let your garden dictate the vegetables for this recipe: sliced zucchini, yellow squash or red onion can be substituted for the eggplant.

This recipe came from the Weight Watchers online site.