Whole-Wheat Pasta with Roasted Eggplant

Pasta sauce doesn't always have to be cooked on the stove. Here, onion, tomatoes, and eggplant are roasted in the oven, which gives the dish a sweeter flavor. Serves 6 Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, peeled in alternating stripes and cut into 3/4-inch pieces 1 large onion, halved and cut into 1/2-inch wedges 2 pints (4 cups) cherry tomatoes Coarse salt and ground pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 3/4 pound whole-wheat penne, (or other short, tubular pasta) 1/4 cup sliced, pitted Kalamata or oil-cured black olives 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving Directions Preheat oven to 450C. In a medium (11-by-15-inch) roasting pan, combine eggplant, onion, tomatoes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and oil; toss well to coat. Roast until tender, tossing mixture halfway through, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add roasted eggplant mixture, olives, and Parmesan. Toss to coat, adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water, if desired. Serve immediately, sprinkled with more cheese.