Ratatouille over Pasta

Last year, I made ratatouille by grilling the vegetables. This year, our gas grill still isn't hooked up and I am charcoal grill challenged, so I adapted my recipe to be made in the oven. The result was great. Curtis said this was his favorite meal I had made all year. The seasonings in the ratatouille are scant--just basil, olive oil, and salt. The vegetables are what really provide all the flavor. That said, use the freshest eggplant and tomatoes possible. We topped it with goat cheese which really complemented the flavor. In the past, I've also used feta in place of the goat cheese. I like the goat cheese much better though. I predict we will be eating lots of ratatouille this summer!

Ratatouille over Pasta
1/2 lb eggplant, cut in 1/2" cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
2 zucchini, halved and sliced
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1/4 c + 2T olive oil
coarse sea salt
2 tomatoes, pureed
2 T basil, chopped
8 oz chunky pasta
goat cheese, crumbled

Stir together eggplant and onions in a roasting pan. Toss with 1/4 c olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Roast in preheated 450 degrees oven for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in zucchini and bell pepper with the eggplants and onions. Toss with remaining 2 T olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Roast for an additional 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the vegetables roast, bring pureed tomatoes and basil to a boil in a saucepan. Simmer until the sauce is thickened and the pasta and vegetables are ready. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta. Drain. Put the vegetables in the tomato sauce and combine. Place pasta in a serving bowl and pour tomato/vegetable sauce on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with goat cheese and serve.