Roasted Eggplant Pasta
This delicious eggplant pasta with tomatoes and sausage is perfect for a weeknight dinner—cooked with extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil.
Servings 4
Calories 761kcal
Equipment
- 3.5 QT. Saucepan with a lid.
- A stockpot to boil the pasta.
- Collander.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant cut into ½ inch dice
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 lb Greek sausage Substitute with sweet Italian sausage.
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 14 oz San Marzano tomatoes like Gustarosso.
- 3 cups rigatoni pasta cooked
- dried Greek oregano
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 162°C / 325°F. Put the diced eggplant into a bowl and drizzle with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine and season with freshly ground pepper and a pinch or two of dried oregano.
- Place the eggplant cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and set aside.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a 3.5-qt. skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes—season with sea salt. Add the garlic, a generous pinch of dried oregano, the bay leaf, the cinnamon stick, and a pinch of chili flakes (optional) and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
- Remove the ground sausage from the casings and add it to the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces until browned, 5-10 minutes. Add half a cup of broth and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes. Break them into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the cherry tomatoes (leave them whole), eggplant and half of the basil, and stir. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer three cups to the skillet. Mix with the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your liking; see if it needs some salt, add some fresh basil and a pinch or two of chili flakes (optional).Toss and serve in bowls with some chopped fresh basil on top and a generous amount of parmesan cheese.
Notes
You can make this sauce ahead of time and reheat it:
- Toss the eggplant in the sauce, cool, and use it whenever you need it over pasta, polenta, mashed potatoes, or anything else you might like. Add a little water to loosen up the sauce while heating on the stove or microwave.
- When reheating with the pasta already in the sauce, add water as needed to loosen the sauce—don't overdo the water!
Nutrition
Calories: 761kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 974mg | Potassium: 1090mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 609IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 5mg