Creamy Eggplant Sauce

For years I thought I didn't like eggplant. It could be that the picky child in me was predisposed to dislike it. Or maybe that my taste buds have changed as I've gotten older. Either way, I have recently discovered that I really enjoy it! We put it on pasta, substitute it for meat, and have even pureed it to make a delicious pizza sauce.

This creamy eggplant sauce can be made with either fresh tomatoes, or a can of diced tomatoes - the former gives a lighter fresher taste to the sauce, and the latter a richer, saltier flavor. The sauce is great served with homemade spicy tagliatelle, but I'm guessing it would go just as well with a box of store bought pasta. The recipe says it serves 4, but I think it could serve at least 6, or maybe 8 if you add bread & salad. We always make a full recipe and freeze half for a quick weeknight meal for later.

Creamy Eggplant Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 medium eggplants (aubergines)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 15 leaves fresh basil, torn
• Salt & Pepper
• 3 large tomatoes, peeled & chopped OR 1 can diced tomatoes
• Freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

Directions

• Bring a big pot of lightly salted water to a boil. 
• Peel the eggplants and chop into 1 inch cubes. Boil in lightly salted water for about 4 minutes. Drain, squeezing out excess moisture.
• Put a very large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme & onion and sauté for for about 2 minutes.
• Add eggplant and cook for 6-7 minutes, mashing gently.

• Remove from heat, add half the basil and season generously with salt & pepper (if using fresh tomatoes you will want more salt, and if using canned, less salt).
• Chop eggplant mixture in a food processor until smooth. Be careful...the mixture is very hot!
• Return the eggplant cream to the pan and put back over medium heat. Add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes have broken down, and the sauce is creamy.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente (3-4minutes for fresh pasta).
• Optional: Now is when you will want to pull out half of the sauce if you are cooking for two and saving half for a second dinner. Put into a freezer friendly Tupperware container, and allow to cool before putting the lid on and freezing.
• Drain the pasta and add to the pan with sauce. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water & toss gently.
• Remove from heat, add a few tablespoons of cheese (optional) & remaining basil. Toss gently and serve with more cheese if desired.

Note: If you prefer a spicier dish, you can add more dried chilies before you purée the eggplant mixture.