When I made this for dinner a few nights ago, Phil told me it was “very fall.”  While cooking, I had thought I had been making a very summery meal–eggplants! peppers! fresh basil and mint!– yet had to agree that my hot bowl of pasta full of roasted things was pretty damn cozy.  Even the fact that I had turned the oven on at all was evidence of the seasonal shift.  To be sure, this is a transitional dish, showcasing late summer’s abundant harvest while gently easing us into fall’s rhythms and encouraging us to slow down– even if for just a bit.
*To smash the garlic, peel each clove and pressed down gently but firmly (and very carefully!) with the side of a chef’s knife, taking care not to break the clove completely.

13 or so fairytale eggplants, stemmed and halved
2-3 red peppers (I used 3 not too big frying ones), cut into 1-1½” pieces
1 small red onion, diced medium
2 garlic cloves, gently smashed
1½-2 tbsp olive oil (enough to evenly coat vegetables)
1 12 oz package of pasta
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ cup basil, chopped
½ cup mint, chopped
sea salt and black pepper

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread evenly on a roasting pan.  Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once half way through, until vegetables are tender and browning around the edges.  Remove from oven.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.  Just before draining, reserve about a ¼ cup of the pasta water (use a mug with a handle to scoop directly from the pot).  Drain pasta.
• To the pasta, add the tomato paste, vinegar, and pasta water and stir to combine.  Then mix in the roasted vegetables, breaking the garlic with your spoon.  Season with salt and pepper, and top with basil and mint.

Yield: About 4 servings