GRILLED VEGETABLE PASTA PRIMAVERA

GRILLED VEGETABLE PASTA PRIMAVERA image

Categories Pasta Vegetable Fourth of July Vegetarian High Fiber Backyard BBQ Healthy

Yield 6 people

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

2 med. size eggplants (trimmed & then sliced longways into 1/2 inch thick slices - lightly salt and let sit for an hour, then lightly rinse and pat dry).
3 med. size zucchini (trimmed & then sliced longways into 1/2 inch slices)
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks peeled up to an inch before tops)
1 red onion (sliced into 1/2 inch rounds)
4 portabello mushroom caps
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup of roasted peppers (preferably fresh roasted, but jarred can be substituted) cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more to brush on vegetables before grilling
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup good quality Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
1 lb. farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1 cup reserved pasta cooking water (you may not use all of it)

Steps:

Heat gas grill to med. high or prepare charcoal grill. Using 2 skewers side by side pierce red onion slices all the way through to prevent them from falling apart on the grill. This makes turning them easier too. Brush eggplant, zucchini, mushroom caps & onion with EVOO & season with salt & pepper. Place on grill & cover. Cook vegetables on both sides until golden brown and tender (approximately 5-6 minutes per side depending on heat & thickness of vegetable). You will probably need to do this in a few batches - some vegees may take longer than others so watch carefully. If they brown too quickly lower the heat or move to a cool side of the grill. Remove grilled vegetables to platter as they are cooked. Brush asparagus with EVOO, salt & pepper and place on an outdoor grill pan and cook approx. 10 minutes or until tender, shaking pan often. Alternatively roast asparagus in a 425 deg. oven for 15 - 20 minutes until golden and tender. Chop all vegetables into bite size pieces and set aside. Heat 1/4 cup EVOO in a saute pan until hot but not smoking. Add garlic & stir for 15 seconds - do not burn garlic. Add cherry tomatoes, salt & pepper to taste and cook until tomatoes have softened and started to caramelize. Add roasted pepper pieces and heat through. Increase heat to high and add white wine & chicken broth. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and stir in fresh herbs. Cover pan to keep warm. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve one cup of cooking water before draining. Place pasta in a large bowl and add tomato & pepper mixture, chopped grilled vegetables and Parmesan cheese. Add pasta water a little at a time if necessary to loosen sauce to your liking. Serve with additional cheese on the side.