Recipe for “Summer Penne”

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pound penne
• 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to suit your own taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper , adjust to suit your own taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large or 2 small eggplants/aubergine, peeled and diced
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 12 to 15 leaves basil, shredded
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta

Cooking Instructions:

1. Place a large pot of water over high heat to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, add some salt and put in the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Just before draining, reserve a mug of starchy cooking water (about 1/2 cup). Drain the pasta and reserve.
2. Place a large pan over medium-high heat with the olive oil. Add the eggplant, onion and garlic to the pan. Give everything a toss to coat with oil then cover the pan. Cook the veggies, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the grape tomatoes to the pan, replace the lid and continue cooking until the tomatoes burst, about 5 minutes more (mash them up with a wooden spoon or potato masher if they don’t burst after that time). Season the veggies with the salt and pepper.
4. Combine the cooked veggies with most of the mint and basil (saving a little for garnish), all of the shredded cheese, the reserved pasta and starchy cooking water, and toss well. Garnish with a sprinkle of herbs and dollop of ricotta on each portion.

P/S: For more healthy, easy, quick, and delicious recipes, please visit the archived posts.

Recipe for “Pumpkin Soup”

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pounds pumpkin, peeled and cut into cubes
• 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 1/2 for pumpkin, 1 for the onion and garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to suit your taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, adjust to suit your taste
• 1 sweet onion cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup sour cream, for topping

 

Cooking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin cubes with the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Spread the pumpkin evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes until nearly tender.

3. Meanwhile, coat the onion slices and the garlic with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the pumpkin is ready, make room on the baking sheet for the onion and garlic, and return the pan to the oven for about 15 minutes longer or until the pumpkin and onion are tender. Keep an eye on the garlic and turn to keep it from turning dark. Transfer all the vegetables to a large saucepan.

4. Add the stock to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20-25 minutes until the pumpkin cubes begin to dissolve in the liquid.

5. Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth, working in batches if necessary. Return the blended soup to the saucepan. Slowly stir butter, plain yogurt and sour cream into the mixture, making sure they do not curdle. Season with the salt and pepper.

P/S: For more healthy, easy, quick and delicious recipes, please see the archive section.