RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANTS (Rigatoni con Melanzane)

Rigatoni with eggplant is a delicious pasta dish.

The eggplants I use are Japanese or Chinese eggplants.  I use this kind of eggplants because they get very soft and creamy when cooked and have an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Japanese eggplants from our vegetable garden

Ingredients:

One pound of Rigatoni

4 long eggplants

1/2 cup of olive oil

5 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 small onion

Salt and black pepper

Fresh basil leaves and parsley for sauce

Some chopped parsley for decor

Some grated Parmigiano cheese

Sauce with fresh tomatoes

Directions:

Wash and cut the eggplant into 1 inch or so cubes.  

Eggplants cut into cubes

Heat a pan and add half of the olive oil.  

When it shimmers, add the eggplant and sauté until soft.  Drain and set aside.

Heat the pan again and add the remaining olive oil.  

Add the chopped onion and cook until golden.

Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper.  Add basil leaves and parsley.

Cook for one-half hour, stirring often.

Start heating up the water for pasta.

Add the eggplant in the sauce pan and cook for few minutes.

Cook the pasta, drain, reserving a cup of the water just in case sauce seems too thick.

Place the pasta into a plate, add the sauce on top of the pasta.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and chopped parsley for decor.