Grilled Ratatouille

Dressing:

2 tbls balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp salt

Vegatables and Pasta:

5 plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1 medium eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and cut into quarters
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup olive or vegatable oil
2 tbls snipped fresh parsley
1 pound uncooked penne or rigatoni pasta
Grated fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

1. For dressing, combine vinegar, pressed garlic, oregano and salt into a small bowl, whisk together and set aside.

2. Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium coals ( or you can sautee the vegatables over medium heat. If you are doing this in the pan, go ahead and cut the vegetables into bite size pieces right away). Prepare vegatables and brush with oil. Snip Parsley and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and keep warm.

4. Place vegetables on grid of grill. Grill onion 10-12 minutes and tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and bell pepper 6-8 minutes, uncovered, turning once. ( or like I said earlier, you can do this in a sautee pan!)

5. Remove vegetables from grill; cut into bite size pieces. Place vegetables in large colander; drizzle with dressing and mix gently.

6. Place pasta in large shallow pasta bowl or platter. Spoon vegetable mixture over warm pasta. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LIZAFER.