Ingredients:

For Pasta:

6 cups packed basil leaves

1.5 cups grated parmesan cheese

2.25 cups olive oil

6 large cloves of garlic

2 lbs of broccoli

2 large eggplants

3 small zucchinis

1 bunch thin asparagus

1 cauliflower head

4 pints of grape tomatoes

3 tbs crushed red pepper

2 lbs pasta (I used medium shells)

2 lbs mozzarella cheesee (blocks not shredded)

For Garlic Bread:

8 fresh Italian rolls from bakery (or two loaves Italian bread which my Shaws inexplicably does not carry)

1.5 sticks of butter

6 cloves of garlic

1 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 tbs salt

2 lbs mozzarella cheese

Pasta should feed about 15. Bread ony about 9.

Pasta:

Cut your eggplant into quarters then slice the quarters, mix with salt and place in a colander under some weight for about half an hour.

While you are waiting for your eggplant cut the rest of your vegetables into roughly bite-size pieces.

Now make your pesto. Peel your garlic then put it in your food processor (or you could just really carefully chop everything with a knife) with your basil and parmesan cheese. Blend everything, then keeping the food processor on slowly add 1.25 cups of olive oil.

Now your eggplant should be ready. Rinse it to wash the excess salt and the gross brown liquid it exuded. Heat 1 cup of olive oil in a large pan on medium and add the eggplant and crushed red pepper. Let it cook for 40 minutes stirring occasionally, then add tomatoes and cook for an additional five minutes.

While the eggplant is cooking you want to steam your vegetables. If you have a steamer use that and steam them in batches for nine minutes a piece. I do not have a steamer, so I boiled water in a large pot and placed a metal colander in it above the water level such that it was barley hanging over the sides and, after filling the colander with vegetables, I covered it with a slightly overlarge cover. It worked excellently.

Also during all of this cook your pasta as per bow instructions.

Cut your mozzarella cheese into small cubes

Mix your eggplant/ tomatoes, your steamed vegetables, your pasta, your pesto and your cheese in a very large bowl.

Garlic Bread:

Microwave your butter until it is slightly soft, or just leave it out for a day. Put butter, garlic and olive oil in your food processor and process until fully blended and a spreadable consistency. I didn’t wash the food processor after the pesto, so I got a little bit of that flavor on it.

Cut your rolls in half and spread this mixture on each one. Sprinkle cheese on top and then broil until the cheese browns. Cut your rolls in half again then serve with your pasta and eat.