Aglio Olio with Grilled Eggplant and Bell Peppers
I love grilled vegetables. Grilling vegetables brings out their natural sweetness, making them exceedingly flavorful and appetizing without needing to heavily season them. You can grill pretty much any vegetable that you like, and you can expect equally satisfying results.
Previously, I published a pasta recipe with grilled vegetables in them. It is one of my all-time favorites, but admittedly, the labor of love needed to prepare the dish makes it practical to reserve only for special occasions. Gladly, there are other options when cravings for grilled vegetables kick in.
Today, I share another pasta dish with grilled vegetables in them that you can prepare with half the work. My Aglio Olio with Grilled Eggplant and Bell Peppers combines the classic garlic-and-oil pasta sauce that everybody loves with the sophisticated and elegant flavor of grilled vegetables.
I use eggplants and bell peppers because of the profound smokiness they render when grilled as compared with other vegetables (they are the easiest to find, too!) But of course, you can always substitute with your other favorites, such as summer squash or zucchini.
Give this a try and let me know what you think!
- 250 grams spaghetti
- 2 large eggplants
- 2 medium-sized red bell peppers
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Boil the spaghetti according to package instructions.
- Cut the eggplant into 1½-inch pieces. Slice each piece vertically into three. Set aside.
- Deseed the bell peppers and cut into big pieces. Set aside.
- Heat the grill pan under medium high heat. Brush with one tablespoon of olive oil.
- Grill the eggplants for five minutes on one side and other three minutes on the other. Sprinkle with salt and pepper before flipping. Set aside once cooked.
- Increase the heat to high.
- Toss the bell peppers in one tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper.
- Grill the bell peppers until all sides are charred, about ten minutes. Once cool enough to handle, chop the bell peppers into bite-size pieces.
- Heat the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil in a nonstick pan. Sauté the finely chopped garlic until golden brown, around two minutes.
- Add in the red pepper flakes and one teaspoon of salt. Let them heat through for 30 seconds.
- Toss in the grilled vegetables and the pasta. Mix well.
- Add the remaining salt halfway through mixing the pasta. Serve warm.
Reduce your cooking time by using a bigger grill pan. When I prepared this, I needed to grill the eggplant in two batches.
As with any Italian pasta, my Aglio Olio with Grilled Eggplant and Bell Peppers goes well with parmesan cheese. Cut down on the salt if you're going to use it.
As with many other food bloggers out there, I am no chef. I come with no culinary training whatsoever, and so it’s not at all surprising that my kitchen adventures are punctuated by frequent mishaps and blunders. Yet, there are recipes that I seem to make much better than others. And so, after years of prodding from family and friends, here I am, sharing the little that I know.
Why “gourmand,” you ask? Simply because I like making and eating good food. I can eat a lot, too—so there you go!