Pasta Salad with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Basil

Name: Pasta Salad with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Basil
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 2 , medium eggplants (about 1 pound total), cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds; 1/2 cup, extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to brush on eggplant; 1/4 cup, lemon juice from 2 lemons; 1/2 teaspoon, grated lemon zest; 2 medium cloves, garlic, divided, minced or put through garlic press; 1/2 teaspoon, red pepper flakes; 1 pound, short, bite-size pasta such as fusilli, farfalle, or orecchiette; 2 , large tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks; 15 , fresh basil leaves, shredded

1 comment

Appears in Cook's Illustrated July/August 1998

This American invention can be delicious--as long as you stick with lemon juice in the vinaigrette and let the vegetables cool before dressing them.

SERVES6 to 8

TIME45 minutes, plus 20 minutes cooling

Pasta Salad with Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Basil

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Developing the best pasta salad recipe was tricky: While some acidity was clearly needed to brighten the flavor of the salad, too much caused the pasta to soften and the dulled vegetables, both in flavor and appearance. We liked lemon juice...

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