recipe

What You'll Need:

  • 1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium yellow sweet peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

To Make Sauce:

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
  • 2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 (16 ounce) package ziti or other small tube pasta
  • 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Step by Step:

  1. In a 15-inch x 10-inch x 1-inch baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray, combine the eggplant, red onion and yellow peppers. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt.
  2. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 35-45 minutes or until edges of peppers begin to brown, stirring every 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sauté onions in oil until tender. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, parsley, salt, pepper, sugar and thyme.
  4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
  5. In two greased 2-qt. baking dishes, spread 1/2 cup prepared sauce in each dish; layer a fourth of the pasta, a fourth of the roasted vegetables and 1/2 cup sauce.
  6. Top sauce in both baking dishes with 2 cups spinach and another 1/2 cup sauce. Top with remaining roasted vegetables, pasta and sauce.
  7. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Yield: 12 servings


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