Pasta makes perfect

(Excerpt from Delicious! Newsletter - 03/02/2008)

A friend of mine refers affectionately to Tel Aviv as a 'pseudo city' and I agree that this is the perfect description for this colorful collection of ramshackle apartment buildings and winding, narrow streets juxtaposed against the sleek, new skyscrapers and beautifully restored heritage sites.

I may live in the heart of suburbia but every fortnight - and even more often if time permits - I escape the cookie-cutter predictability of the uninspiring shopping malls and spend a blissful morning absorbing the energy of this vibrant town. Name-dropping in Kikar Ha'Medina holds little interest and the appeal of the newly refurbished Dizengoff Center quickly fades. Instead, I head straight to Shuk Batzalel where I scratch for treasures in the NIS 1 shekel stands before heading up to the Carmel Shuk for fresh-from-the-farms fruit, vegetables and flowers and a good giggle at the rough and ready shuk stall owners who so loudly compete for custom.

I invariably come home laden with far more fresh produce than we can possibly eat and it's at times like these like a flavorful recipe like this is especially useful.

Cook up a batch today and enjoy the taste of pure Mediterranean sunshine!

ALLENBY STREET INSPIRED ROAST VEGETABLE PASTA IN RICH TOMATO SAUCE

2 small eggplants, diced in cubes
4 zucchini, cut in chunks
2 red peppers, sliced in thick strips
1 large red onion, cut into 10 wedges
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
a little sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 packet fettuccini

TOMATO SAUCE

2 x 410 gram tins crushed tomatoes
2 carrots, chopped
1 chopped onion, chopped
1 large stick celery, plus leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar and a little sea salt
½ cup fresh basil leaves
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1: Place all vegetables in a large baking dish, sprinkle with oregano and salt and toss with olive oil.

2: Roast uncovered at 220 degrees for approximately 40 minutes tossing once during this baking period.

3: Make sauce by placing all ingredients except basil and chickpeas in a large pot.

4: Bring to the boil then simmer covered over low heat for 45 minutes till thick then allow to cool and blend till completely smooth.

5: Add roasted vegetables, basil and chickpeas and heat till piping hot then serve over freshly cooked pasta


COOK'S NOTES: Avoid having to degorge eggplants - degorging is the process of salting and draining vegetables - by always choosing small eggplants with a firm, shiny skin which indicates that it is fresh. The larger and older the eggplant is, the higher the chance is of it being bitter. If tomato sauce is too thick then reduce by adding a little vegetable stock.