The flavor of this dish is awesome. Its a great vegetarian dish that's very adaptable to taste. Grilled eggplant is tossed with a medley of vegetables, and baked with Parmesan and feta cheeses.
INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):
- 1 eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch slices
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 (16 ounce) package farfalle pasta
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 onions, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/8 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 pinch dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
PREPARATION:
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat, and lightly oil grate. Rub eggplant with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until each side has golden brown grill marks and is fragrant. Let cool, then cut into cubes. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute bell pepper, carrot, onion, and garlic until the onions are translucent. Stir in eggplant, and saute until it is tender. Add the diced tomatoes. Season with oregano, basil, marjoram, mint, dill, celery salt, crushed red pepper, cinnamon, salt and black pepper. Mix in Parmesan cheese. In a large bowl, combine pasta with vegetable mixture. Spoon into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle top with feta cheese.
Cover, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking for 10 minutes.