Ingredients
- 1 eggplant, chopped into ½″ pieces
- Olive oil (lots)
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 2 links vegetarian sausage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1½ cups dry penne pasta
I made this while making a bunch of other stuff, so I was too busy to take pictures. Next time I make it, I'll make sure to take some!
This is really tasty, but oily enough that I'd recommend against putting cheese on top. Maybe I'll try finishing with a squirt of lemon next time?
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In a heavy skillet, fry the eggplant in layers on medium heat.
Add about 2 tbsp of oil before frying each layer.
Pieces of eggplant are ready to flip when the bottom has turned a nice dark color.
- Each layer will take a while, and you'll probably have 3 or so layers, so feel free to move on to further steps while it fries.
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In a Dutch oven, add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and heat until shimmering on medium heat.
- I usually have some shallot-infused oil on hand from making crispy fried shallots — this is a great place to use something like that.
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Add the minced garlic, fry until it starts to go from golden-brown to a bit darker.
- This is further than you go in most recipes — I think the flavor works well here, though. You could go onto the next step once you reach golden-brown if you don't like that flavor.
- Add the onion and crushed red pepper flakes. Stirring occasionally, cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, and thyme. Stir well, then heat on medium until the sauce starts to bubble.
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Lower heat to low and cover.
Simmer as long as you have patience for, but at least 10 minutes — every minute you spend caramelizing the tomatoes is another extra bit of deliciousness they'll have.
If you're letting it simmer for an hour or more, stir thoroughly every 30-60 minutes to avoid letting anything stick to the bottom.
- If you're using a regular pot instead of a Dutch oven, you might need medium-low heat to stay at a simmer.
- If you're simmering for under 30 minutes, consider adding a teaspoon or two of liquid aminos or soy sauce to add some extra richness.
- Check the sauce for flavor. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the dry pasta in salted boiling water for 5-7 minutes, then strain.
- Add the pasta and dried basil to the sauce, then stir it in thoroughly. Add the chopped sausage and fried eggplant to the sauce, stir them in with a lighter touch to avoid tearing them.
- Bring the sauce back to a simmer, then remove the Dutch oven from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes to allow the pasta to finish cooking, then serve.