1 medium onion
1 large zucchini
1 medium/small eggplant
3-6 cloves garlic
1 28oz canned stewed tomatoes or equivalent fresh tomatoes
1-2 cans garbanzos
8oz busy pasta (wagon wheels, tennis rackets, anything with lots of character)
tomato paste
1tsp-1/2Tbs crushed red pepper
1/2tsp thyme
salt and/or pepper to taste
Chop and saute the garlic to your taste (I often chop it and toss it into the stew raw). Chop the onion, zucchini, eggplant and tomato, if necessary. Add them along with the garlic into the stew pot and stir in enough tomato paste to hold the veggies together nicely. Add the red pepper to taste, the thyme and salt and pepper as you like. Bring to a boil and simmer until the stew is tender, 20-30min or so. Start your water boiling after about ten minutes, cook the pasta as the package directs and enjoy!
I have also added a chopped sweet red pepper to this recipe, and that was good. It also works in the microwave for 15-20mins on HIGH, cooking the pasta as usual.
NOTE: My kids are big eaters, so this recipe may serve more than 3!