The al dente spaghetti of this Ratatouille Pasta recipe hints at the age-reducing fiber inside, and the generous serving of garlic, plus the lycopene-packed tomatoes yield a RA factor of 7.8 days younger.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Servings 4
Serving Size:
Ingredients:
12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
1 dried ancho or pasilla chile pepper
3 cups diced (1/2 inch cubes) unpeeled eggplant (8 ounces)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 yellow or red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cans (141/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes, undrained, coarsely chopped
1 cup packed mesclun salad greens
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or lemon thyme
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chile pepper; cook, turning occasionally until fragrant and toasted, about 2 minutes. When cool enough to handle, discard stem and set aside the seeds for a garnish. Chop the chile pepper. Add eggplant to hot skillet; cook until browned, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add oil, then chopped onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and chile pepper. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and sauce thickens. Remove from heat; stir in mesclun salad greens. Add salt to taste if desired. Drain pasta; transfer to four serving plates. Top with sauce. Garnish with reserved chili pepper seeds and thyme.
Tips:
This pasta dish is loosely based on the traditional French side dish from the region of Provence. Dried pasilla chile provides a slightly sweet-hot flavor. Look for the chilies in Mexican grocery stores or in the ethnic section of your supermarket. Toasting the chile in a dry skillet before chopping brings out the aromatic flavor.
Substitutions:
1/4 teaspoon dried hot chile pepper flakes or 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder may be substituted for the pasilla chili. Omit toasting step and add along with tomatoes. Arugula or mizuna may replace the mesclun salad greens.
Nutrition Facts:
Fat Calories: 36.00 g
Total Fat: 4.00 g
Sat. Fat: 0.50 g
Cholesterol: 0.00 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 37.60 g
Fiber: 5.60 g
Sugars: 8.60 g
Protein: 6.40 g