Spaghetti With Eggplant & Tomato Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 lbs eggplants (11 cups)
• 2 tablespoons salt (for soaking the eggplant)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lb tomato, ripe, peeled (optional)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (i used about 4)
• 12 ounces spaghetti or 12 ounces spaghettini
• oil (for frying)
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese or 1/4 cup ricotta salata, grated
• salt
• pepper

Recipe

• 1 put eggplant into a colander over a plate. sprinkle with 2 tablespoons salt; toss. set aside to drain 30 minutes. rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
• 2 bring a large pot of slightly salted water to a boil.
• 3 meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. add garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes over medium-low heat until light golden. add tomatoes and tomato paste; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes soften and sauce is slightly thickened.
• 4 meanwhile, when water comes to a boil, add pasta an cook as package directs.
• 5 while pasta cooks, heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in another large skillet (you'll use about 2 cups of oil). add eggplant and fry until golden, about 8 minutes. remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. stir eggplant into tomato sauce.
• 6 when pasta is cooked, reserve 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water, then drain. return pasta to pot. stir in sauce, reserved water, basil and cheese. season with salt, pepper if desired.