In our "What People Are Cooking" column, see how our recipes turned out in other cooks' kitchens. Every week we choose a recipe that several food bloggers made and feature it here with photos and links. Share your own experience; submit your blog.
THE RECIPE: Rigatoni with Eggplant and Pine Nut Crunch
Bon Appetit, March 2011
The luscious baked rigatoni from our March issue is that ooey-gooey dish you can't resist. (Nor can you resist a second helping.) Packed with chunks of eggplant and bell peppers and topped with crunchy pine nuts, this vegetarian pasta is a no-brainer one-pot meal. It requires just 40 minutes of prep, it satisfies a hungry crowd, and it makes for tasty leftovers. See what food bloggers thought of the dish below.
Our Version:
Bloggers' Versions:
Kate Cooks the Books: "This is what comes from reading Bon Appetit right before lunch. Everything looks good. Turns out, this dish really was. This is probably not a weeknight meal as it has a few components, all of which take some time. But well worth it. This is not unlike lasagna but a nice change from it. You could certainly prepare all of the components ahead and refrigerate them. It says it serves 8 but really it's more like 10 and that could include some seriously hungry people."
New England Foodie: "This was great, very flavorful, creamy and crunchy at the same time. Something great happens with baked pastas like this, where the tops of the pasta gets a little "burnt" and the pasta that is submerged in the sauce is creamy, and then the cheese and herbs just adds to the excitement!"
Good Dinner Mrs. Mellen: "I make this pasta dish from a recipe in the current, March 2011, Bon Appetit issue. Very rich in taste with the addition of heavy cream, but I think not all calories are the same. You feel more satisfied from delicious calories then junk calories. So skip processed and junk food in favor of a wonderful meal."
Urban Grape: "Ever since the latest issue of Bon Appetit came through our door, I've been staring at this picture and salivating. When I first read the recipe, my inclination was to forego making the pine nut crunch and just use pesto. I am so glad I didn't. Crunchy, pleasantly salty, and overwhelming basil-y, it was all I could do not to just sit and eat the whole thing. This is what you're left with at the end. And this is where I feel badly for you, because I have leftovers in my fridge and you just have to stare at that picture."