Express /public as view folder http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4529586/render-basic-html-view-in-node-js-express#answer-6960021

app.js

// ....

app.configure(function() {
  // ....

  app.set('views', __dirname + '/public');
  app.set('view options', { layout: false });
  app.register('.html', {
    compile: function(str, options){
      return function(locals){
        return str;
      };
    }
  });
  // ....
});

// ....