Pasta with Brie, Spinach, Eggplant & Arugula

*Photo taken from Real Simple Magazine (David Prince)
I took a hiatus from blogging, made some changes, moved across country, and even added some new things to my diet. With new ingredients, come new recipes. With my late night weekday schedule, I was finding it challenging to get real cooking in, which was discouraging. So, I have become a weekend warrior of sorts, this weekend determined to get some great fresh meals in to spread out for the rest of the week. The advantage of living in such a mild climate (at least one of them) is the year-round local farmer’s markets. I went a little overboard last week, so I am trying come up with as many recipes in as possible with the ingredients I have in my refrigerator, which includes the innards of the pumpkins my friends and I carved out last week. I whipped together a fantastic pumpkin curry that seemed to be a crowd pleaser last week. Last night I created a rich and fresh pasta combination for my sister and friend that I will share with you today.

The foundation of this recipe I took from Real Simple magazine, which I am beginning to enjoy more each month. If you do not subscribe to it, it is worth grabbing this month’s issue from your local grocery store or even the library because it has great new ideas for thanksgiving dishes, and of course the meal I am blogging about. I had a about a half hour window to cook in, so this recipe was really put to the test, and I changed the ingredients to fit both my dietary needs and what I had on hand. On top of that we it was well into the evening--- Friday night, with over exhausted people to feed. So, I threw on Pandora, grabbed a juice box of white wine, and sent the friends off for a nap, while I cooked up this dish. It was pretty simple, and I was pretty tired. The end result was pretty damn positive. It was a yummy, flavorful and unique twist on late night pasta.

First off, I made two versions of the pasta: gluten-free, brown rice pasta from Trader Joe’s, and traditional penne pasta for the non-gluten averse. Literally while the pasta cooked, I made the rest of the mixture and it was pretty much timed within 10 minutes of each other. The Real Simple recipe called for arugula and mushrooms and the main ingredients, but instead I substituted fresh spinach, and Japanese eggplant (I used the arugula too). Additionally, I added capers, and garlic (it’s the Italian in me). It was pretty easy: I chopped up a red onion (use one small red onion), some arugula (about ½ cup), and one Japanese eggplant. Throw in the onion, 1 tsp minced garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil into a frying pan. Let the onions start to brown, then splash in some dry white wine (to taste), the spinach, and capers. Let that cook in together for another 10 minutes.

Then slice Brie into 1-inch squares. I only used about 4.4 oz of Brie, and trimmed the edges. I also recently switched to mostly goat or sheep dairy products because they are easier to digest than that of cow, so I chose a goat Brie from Trader Joe’s.

When the pasta in cooked, strain the pasta, but set aside about ¼ cup of the pasta water. Throw the squares of Brie into the pasta, add the heated water, and stir together until the pasta is coated with Brie, making a lovely white sauce. I salted and peppered a little more here. Then I added the vegetable mixture to the pasta. Lastly, I tossed in the fresh arugula, which added a light flavor and bright color to the dish. It makes an impressive presentation, and a rich, full flavored meal. Dinner was served in about 30 minutes. Perfect for a weekday meal, when you’re just a little grumpy from work, and overtired from yoga (to get over from being grumpy from work). Bottom line, Friday ended pretty well. Hope you all enjoy the recipe—time for a little Halloween!

Serves 4
Total Time: 30minutes
Ingredients

* 12 ounces penne (brown rice pasta)
* 1-tablespoon olive oil (or whatever you prefer)
* 1 small red onion, sliced
* 1/2 cup dries white wine
* 1 small Japanese eggplant
* 1-½ cups of fresh organic spinach
* Kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 Tbs capers
* 1 tsp fresh minced garlic
* 4.4 ounces Brie, cut into 1-inch pieces (goat brie also works)
* 1/2-cup baby arugula