This was a very satisfying veggie version of the classic pasta that uses eggplant and mushrooms to create a great texture and taste. It comes from Kay Chun in NYTimes Cooking but we altered it slightly. Taking the time to brown the eggplant at the onset helps a great deal.
For this you’ll need: x2 medium eggplants (peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes), 2 cups mushrooms (sliced; shiitake, cremini or white), 2 carrots (peeled and chopped), 1/2 red onion (chopped), 3 garlic cloves (chopped), x1 28oz can of whole tomatoes (gently crushed with your hand), 2 Tbsp tomato paste, 1 cup red wine, 2 cups mushroom or veggie broth, 2 Tbsp fresh oregano (chopped), 2 Tbsp fresh basil (chopped), 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1 pound pasta (we used rigatoni), salt, pepper, olive oil.
Heat 2-4 Tbsp oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Working in batches, season and brown the eggplant on all sides – about 3-5 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon to a separate plate.
Add another 2-4 Tbsp oil to the pot and season and brown the mushrooms over medium heat – scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan – 5-6 mins. Add the chopped onion and carrot and stir well – adding a little oil if you need it – until the onion is softening, 5 mins. Lower the flame, add the tomato paste and garlic and stir well until combined and darkening in color. Season with salt and pepper if needed. About 2 mins. Stir in the red wine, increase the heat, scrape up what is stuck to the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduce by about half, 5-8 mins.
Stir in the broth, the whole tomatoes (carefully crushing them with your hand), oregano, basil, salt and pepper and the browned eggplant. Bring the whole thing to a boil and then reduce to a vigorous simmer. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything breaks down and starts to meld together – 15-18 mins. Uncover and cook a further 3-5 mins while gently mashing some of the eggplant in order to thicken the sauce.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of water.
Add the al dente pasta, 1/2 cup of the cooking water and unsalted butter to the sauce and stir everything together over medium low heat. Let it cook through to further soften the pasta, about 2-3 mins. Adjust the consistency with more water if needed.
Serve with grated parmesan.
Dinner at Our Place 