Recipe Summary
It is said, we eat first with our eyes. This dish is beautiful and great for entertaining, but is much simpler to make than it appears. It is packed with flavor and will leave your house smelling amazing. It is also loaded with nutrition. You can feel good about providing a nutritious and delicious dish for any holiday meal or special occasion, or any regular night of the week. This is a great summer dish too, since you can get these veggies fresh from the farmers market or your own garden!
Ingredients
- 16 oz of marinara sauce/pasta sauce (any kind you like)
- 1 zuchinni (thinly sliced)
- 2-3 roma tomatoes (thinly sliced)
- 1 red onion (thinly sliced)
- 1 egg plant (thinly sliced)
- Optional: 1 summer squash (thinly sliced) - not used in the picture above but adds a beautiful yellow color to the dish
- 2 TBPS of basil pesto (I use one without pine nuts to avoid nut allergies)
- Salt and pepper to taste.
(Points were calculated using the Classico brand of store bought jar pasta and basil pesto. Different brands may alter the points value.)
Cooking Directions
- Set the oven to 375 degrees.
- Pour the pasta sauce at the bottom of one large, round baking or casserole dish.
- Add sliced veggies, alternating and creating a pattern until the dish is full. (The veggies can be sliced extra thin with a mandolin slicer, or you can slice by hand.)
- Using a kitchen brush, brush the veggies with the basil pesto. Then salt and pepper lightly.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil or lid to casserole dish.
- Bake on a medium rack for about an hour. Veggies should look cooked and tender. To brown the top, place under the broiler, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Caution: Be sure that that baking dish is broiler safe.
Serve as a side dish, or make the star of the show by serving over cooked pasta or spaghetti squash. Enjoy!
Serving Size / Serves
6-8 servings