- 1 Lb. of rigatoni, penne or ziti
- 2 small eggplants
- 4 TBSP olive oil
- 4 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 TSP dried oregano
- 1 TSP garlic powder
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 TSP salt & 1/2 TSP pepper
- 8 fresh basil leaves, minced
Peel and cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let the eggplant sit for 30-45 minutes, allowing the bitter juices to be purged. Rinse, drain and pat cubes dry. Heat a deep pan to medium-high, add 2 TBSP olive oil and allow it to heat up until it simmers. Add the eggplant and saute until browned and soft. Drain and set aside.
Heat up the pan again and add the 2 remaining TBSP olive oil. Heat until hot. Add tomatoes, onion, carrot, oregano, garlic, salt & pepper and basil leaves. Cook for 1/2 hour, stirring often to prevent from sticking to the pot and burning. Start heating up the water for the pasta.
Pour the sauce into a pot and add the eggplant. Heat to medium and stir gently for 15-20 minutes.
Cook the pasta, drain, reserving a cup of the water, and place into a hot bowl. If the sauce seems too thick, add some of the reserved water and stir, mixing thoroughly. Pour the sauce on top of the pasta, sprinkle with grated cheese and serve.
