Eggplant, Caramelized Onion, and Tomato Pasta

It's the time of year for hearty meals.  This means lots of pasta, lots of soups and stews, lots of dinners that fill you up right to the brim.  I am most definitely ready for hearty meals.  I have a list of soups and breads to try, and I've already made one batch of my family's favorite sausage chili. (recipe coming soon!)

This pasta dish definitely meets the requirements for a filling meal.  It's going into our roster for sure.  Eggplant Parmesan is a much-loved dish in our family, and this was a nice breath of fresh air.  Super filling and delicious.  Perfect for fall.

 This recipe is originally from Chez Panisse Vegetables, but I used the version on Alexandra's Kitchen.  

Eggplant getting ready to roast.

Caramelizing onions

Just a couple things before we start: I didn't use any cheese, but if you like, you could serve ricotta or Parmesan with the dish.  I also used a bit more eggplant than the recipe calls for, mostly because we had eggplants to use up from the garden.

Eggplant, Caramelized Onion, and Tomato Pasta

from Chez Panisse Vegetables and Alexandra's Kitchen

serves four-six

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants (approximately 3 cups diced)

olive oil

1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

handful of fresh basil

salt

1 lb. penne or other similarly shaped pasta

sherry vinegar

1 cup tomato sauce

red pepper flakes

either Parmesan or ricotta to serve with, if desired

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut eggplants into approximately 3/4 inch cubes, toss lightly with olive oil, and spread out in a single layer on sheet pan.  Roast for about 25 minutes, until eggplant is golden and tender.

2. Put large pot of water to boil for pasta.  Add large pinch of salt.  Cook pasta al dente.

3. While eggplant is roasting, heat large saute pan with olive oil and onions over medium heat.  Saute onions just until caramelized.  Season with salt.  Add garlic and cook a moment more, then deglaze with splash of sherry vinegar.  Add roasted eggplant, tomato sauce, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Heat sauce to simmering.  Drain pasta, add to tomato sauce, and toss gently.  Slice basil and add to pan.

4. Serve pasta with ricotta crumbled on top or Parmesan, if desired.

Here's a gratuitous picture of my cat sleeping in a shoebox.