(recipe from The Wednesday Chef, online)
Serves 3 or 4
1 lb. eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
2 sprigs thyme or oregano, chopped (I used dried)
1 c. stock or water
2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes, minced
6 leaves basil, sliced thinly
salt and pepper
1 lb. spaghetti
Lightly salt the slices of eggplant, stack them back together and let sit for 20 minutes.
Put the olive oil in a wide, heavy saucepan, add the garlic cloves, and set over low heat.
Dry off the eggplant, cut it into chunks. When you start hearing the garlic sizzle a little and can smell it, drop in your eggplant and stir to coat it all with oil. Turn up the heat a little bit to medium high and add the thyme or oregano and stir. When the eggplant is turning translucent and softening, add the liquid, let it come to a boil, and turn it back down to medium-low. Let it bubble for a bit and cover it, leaving a crack for steam to escape. Stir once in a while so that the bottom doesn't stick.
After about 20 minutes or so, the liquid in the eggplant pan should be mostly evaporated and the eggplant should be soft and melting. Mash it with a fork or spoon, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Toss the eggplant puree with the spaghetti that you cooked al dente. Stir in the minced tomatoes and basil. You can drizzle on some more oil. Serve immediately.
(Made for Justin on 8/26/11, a peace offering after our Wednesday night fight. We ate it with a simple salad of greens, tomatoes, radishes, and mustard vinaigrette (left over from the potato salad) and some focaccia. Justin surprised me with potato salad for my lunches. We watched the movie Flesh & Bone and drank a lovely organic red table wine. This eggplant sauce wasn't as flavorful as I'd thought it would be. I used whole wheat fusilli, which cradled the sauce nicely, but perhaps the whole wheat was too overpowering for the sauce. Also, next time I'd add more garlic, sundried tomatoes, and oregano.)
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