Penne with Roasted Eggplant, Carmelized Onion, Garlic and Diced Tomato

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This is so easy and seriously delicious.  Vegetarian. Just five ingredients. 

 

Ingredients

  • 8 ozs Penne pasta
  • 1 medium Eggplant cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 medium sweat onion cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

Preparation

1.  Roast the eggplant.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the diced eggplant inn a mixing bowl with 3 tbls olive oil (not evoo - it will burn).   Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and dust with ground pepper.  Mix thoroughly and then turn the eggplant out into a greased sheet pan.  Roast the eggplant for abut 10 minutes and then turn the eggplant so the other side roasts.  This should take about 10 more minutes, but will vary, depending on your oven.  When the eggplant is done, remove and set aside.  

2.  Carmelize the onions.  Heat a saucepan to medium and add 2 tbls of evoo.  Add the onions and turn down the heat to low.  Cover the pan.  Stir occasionally, adding salt after about 10 minutes.  The onions will brown and should not burn.  

3. When the onions are a medium brown, add the minced garlic and cook on medium low for about 2 minutes.  Then add the diced tomatoes and turn the heat up to medium.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Then add the roasted eggplant, reduce the heat to low, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

4.  When the pasta is a few minutes short of al dente, drain and add the pasta to the sauce and cook for another few minutes, just enough to let the sauce meld with the pasta, but not so long that the pasta cooks beyond al dente.

5.  To serve, spoon the pasta into bowls and top with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and torn basil.