Author Notes
From Izy Hossack’s The Savvy Cook: "By roasting tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini together, you end up with a ratatouille-like mixture. Just whack it all in the oven for an hour and come back when you are ready to cook the penne. Throw on some torn mozzarella near the end so that it melts over the vegetables and combine with the pasta and some crème fraîche or ricotta.” —Izy Hossack
Test Kitchen Notes
Summertime pasta is one of the best and easiest ways to utilize fresh summertime produce, and this recipe will definitely point you in the right direction when those hot, sunny months roll around. It's colorful, tasty, and will surely impress your family and friends any time you serve it up. Between the abundance of tomatoes, in-season zucchini and eggplant, dried herbs, and fresh mozzarella cheese, this will be your go-to recipe every time you hit the farmers' market.
The best part about this recipe is that the oven does most of the heavy lifting. Simply roast the vegetables and mozzarella while you cook the pasta, making cleanup a breeze and a lot of the cook time totally hands-off. The garnish of the fresh cherry tomatoes on top of the hot pasta and vegetables softens them a little and helps to bring freshness and sweet bite to the final dish. Larger tomatoes can work as well; just cut them into large pieces before roasting and garnishing. And you should feel free to add whatever other vegetables you have that would roast well in the oven, from onions and garlic to broccoli, cauliflower, and mushrooms. You can make it your own in so many different ways by switching up the vegetables, herbs, and spices. To make this recipe vegan, simply omit the mozzarella and replace the crème fraîche/ricotta with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. To make it gluten-free, just use gluten-free pasta (such as brown rice pasta). —The Editors
Watch This Recipe
Easy Summer Pasta
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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour
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Serves
2
Ingredients
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1 3/4 cups
(300 grams) cherry tomatoes, halved
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2
medium zucchini
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1
eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
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1 tablespoon
olive oil or canola oil
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2 teaspoons
mixed dried herbs (I like herbes de Provence)
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1 pinch
kosher salt, plus more
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2 3/4 ounces
(75 grams) fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into medium strips
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1 1/2 cups
(150 grams) dried whole-wheat penne pasta (or 3 cups/300 grams cooked penne)
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3 tablespoons
crème fraîche or ricotta cheese
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Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
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Heat the oven to 350°F. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the tomatoes for garnishing. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange the remaining tomatoes. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then cut into half-moons about 3/4 inch thick. Add to the baking sheet with the tomatoes, along with the eggplant, oil, herbs, and a big pinch of salt. Toss to combine and roast, tossing halfway through, for about 1 hour, until the vegetables are nicely caramelized. After 45 minutes, scatter the mozzarella over the top of the vegetables and return to the oven for the final 15 minutes so the cheese melts.
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Meanwhile, if you're using dried pasta, place in a medium pan and cover with boiling water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente (this will generally be the shorter cooking time on the package directions). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and return the pasta to the saucepan.
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To the saucepan with the pasta, add the vegetables and cheese along with the crème fraîche and a splash of reserved pasta water (or tap water if you're using precooked pasta). Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Divide the pasta mixture between 2 plates. Scatter the reserved tomatoes over the pasta.
Passionate about cakes, roasted vegetables and anything involving Maldon salt or maple syrup. Izy is a student living in London, UK who spends her spare time blogging and rambling on topwithcinnamon.com
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