Creamy penne with pancetta, roasted and shishito peppers eggplant

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

You can use rounds or slices of grilled eggplant here; cut them into small pieces after grilling. Pancetta adds a mild flavor; bacon adds a smoky note that pairs well with the roasted vegetables. Use pasteurized eggs if the danger of salmonella from undercooked eggs is a concern.

½ cup mascarpone or creme fraiche or heavy whipping cream (not sour cream)

2 egg yolks

½ cup finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

½ teaspoon fresh minced thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large eggplant, about 1¼ pounds, ends trimmed

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Smoked sweet paprika, optional

Expeller-pressed canola, safflower or sunflower oil

2 to 3 cups small shishito peppers, patted dry, stems removed OR thick slices red or orange bell pepper

½ to ¾ cup (3 to 4 ounces) sliced pancetta or lean bacon, diced

12 to 14 ounces penne or rigatoni

Chopped fresh chives or parsley, or a combination

Thinly

sliced red onion, rinsed

Makes: 4 servings

1. Mix the mascarpone, egg yolks, cheese and thyme in a small bowl. Season with pepper. (Refrigerate, covered, up to 2 days; use at room temperature.)

2. Heat oven to 400 degrees on convection or 425 degrees on conventional setting. Cut eggplant into ¾-inch thick rounds. Cut rounds into ¾-inch pieces. Place eggplant on an oiled baking sheet. Toss with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and paprika. Roast, stirring once or twice, until richly golden, about 15 minutes. (Refrigerate, covered, up to 2 days.)

3. Meanwhile, heat a film of canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Have a splatter guard handy. Add shishito peppers to pan. Cook, turning often, until blistered and blacked in spots, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and scoop out onto a plate. Add pancetta to pan; cook and stir until golden, about 2 minutes (slightly longer if using bacon). Remove from heat.

4. Heat a large pot of well-salted water to boil over high heat. Add penne. Cook, stirring often, until al dente (a tiny bit firm when you bite into a piece), 10 to 12 minutes. Scoop out and reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the pasta; return it to the pot.

5. Stir the mascarpone mixture into the pasta; mix well. Stir in the eggplant and shishito peppers. Add enough cooking liquid to loosen things up a bit if necessary. Sprinkle with pancetta, toss and serve topped with herbs and red onion.

Nutrition information per serving: 869 calories, 53 g fat, 20 g saturated fat, 177 mg cholesterol, 74 g carbohydrates, 7 g sugar, 25 g protein, 331 mg sodium, 8 g fiber