Eggplant Pasta

Here's a little pasta dish I like to make frequently when eggplant is in season. I especially like the small eggplants - Italian or Asian ones. They don't require peeling or salting. They are tender and soak up whatever flavors you put with them. This recipe only has 4 main ingredients not counting the oil and seasonings. It comes together in a flash and is so delicious, you'll want to eat your eggplant this way all the time. Hubby, who claims to dislike eggplant, asked for another serving and said he did not miss the tomato sauce.


Eggplant Pasta

Feel free to increase or decrease the eggplant, tomatoes, onion and basil. Also add some garlic, I have to avoid it these days, sigh. If I had had any, I would have given it a wack and sauted it with the onion and then fished it out. That seems to give me garlic flavor without upsetting my stomach. Those of you who can still handle garlic - add about 2 to 3 cloves, minced, with the tomatoes.

2 T olive oil
3 small eggplants (about 4 inches long and 1 1/2 inch in diameter), sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, I used a mixture of orange and red
1 T shredded basil or to taste 
pinch red pepper flakes
1 t salt
pasta (I used Tagliatelle Nests), enough for 2 servings

Heat the oil in a pan large enough to hold everything. Add the eggplant, you may need to cook half and then the other half. Takes about 15 minutes. Cook just until done so they don't fall apart in the final dish. Although not the end of the world if that happens. Add olive oil as needed. Once soft put the eggplant on a plate. 

Wipe out the pan and add more oil, about a 1/2 T. Add the onions and saute until soft and sweet. Don't brown them. 

Meanwhile, start your water boiling for the pasta. Cook pasta according to the package directions. 

Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes and salt to the onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes soften a bit. Add the eggplant and 1/4 cup or so of the pasta water to keep things from sticking and generate a bit of "sauce." Drain the pasta (OK if still drippy) and add to the "sauce." Stir and cook a few minutes. Add basil and stir. 

Serve with Parmesan.