Cooking Melanzane al Pomodoro is perfect this time of year when farms are abundant with eggplant and tomatoes. My Eggplant Sauce recipe is without meat/protein in the ingredients, but feel free to add grilled sausage, chicken, or shrimp if desired. If you are looking for that under thirty minutes to-cook-to-table dish without compromising flavor for time, this is it. And, you can create variations on this recipe, which is very easy to do.
This pasta sauce is great served warm or chilled, added with a tube-shaped pasta.
George's Eggplant Sauce
Makes 4 servings
chefgeorgehirsch.com | from George Hirsch Living it UP! Cookbook
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups eggplant, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, chopped
6 plum tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup pitted calamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano, thyme, hot pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
2 Tablespoons fresh basil
parmesan cheese to taste and fresh black pepper
Preheat a large nonstick saucepan.
Add half the olive oil, then eggplant, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and bell pepper. Cook until light brown. Add the wine, chicken broth, olives, dried basil, oregano, thyme, and hot sauce. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
Top with remaining olive oil, fresh basil, and pine nuts.
Excellent with a rigatoni or tube shape pasta.