Name: Pan-tastic pasta
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 250 gram penne (yields about 4 cups cooked); 1/4 cup good-quality olive oil, plus extra for cooked pasta; 6 sausages, pinched into walnut-sized meatballs (see tip); 2 large red capsicum, de-seeded and sliced; 1/2 eggplant, cut in 2cm x 2cm cubes; 300 gram cherry tomatoes, halved; 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 4 tablespoon lemon juice; 100 gram parmesan, shaved

Pan-tastic pasta

I just love this summer meal. It’s packed full of everything that’s flourishing in the garden right now. Served either hot or cold,it’s an easy meal to feed a crowd. The key is having the same volume of meatballs/veges/herbs as cooked pasta – and making sure you’ve cooked the pasta in well-salted water.

Ingredients

250 gram penne (yields about 4 cups cooked)

1/4 cup good-quality olive oil, plus extra for cooked pasta

6 sausages, pinched into walnut-sized meatballs (see tip)

2 large red capsicum, de-seeded and sliced

1/2 eggplant, cut in 2cm x 2cm cubes

300 gram cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

4 tablespoon lemon juice

100 gram parmesan, shaved

Method

1.Bring a large pot of well-salted water (about 2 tbsp table salt) to the boil.

2.Cook the pasta to just cooked through and still firm to the bite (about 12 minutes). Drain well and throw in a splash of olive oil.

3.While the pasta is cooking, fry meatballs until cooked through, then remove from pan. Use the same pan to sauté the capsciums on a low-medium heat until soft. Set aside.

4.Lastly, toss the eggplant lightly in oil until coated, then fry until golden. Resist adding more oil during cooking.

5.If you want to serve the pasta hot, tip it in the pan for a quick re-heat before tossing it in a big bowl with the meatballs, veges, tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.

6.Garnish with Parmesan and serve.

Sausages are not only good on the barbecue. I always keep some thin, good-quality ones in the freezer, which can be defrosted quickly, then the ground meat pinched out of the casings to look like you’ve made your own meatballs. Genius!
Note

Nici Wickes

A published cookbook author, entertainer, broadcaster, food stylist, recipe developer and food editor Nici Wickes is all about no-fuss, confidence-building cooking.

Ingredients

Method

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