All my eggplant lovers say hey-o!
I’m recently learning that there are some people who vehemently hate eggplant, and I feel sorry for them because, like tofu, it’s one of those plant-based foods that are easy to cook (if done properly) and can absorb the flavour of anything. It adds substance to any dish, and especially to vegan ones. I try not to make pasta too much to avoid overloading on carbs during the week, but this is one of my four staple recipes and I’ll typically do a pasta or noodle recipe at least once a month.
Ingredients:
Half package of pasta (250g) – I prefer fusilli as per above.
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large or 2 small eggplants, cubed small
8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp red chili flakes (less, if you don’t like heat)
8 diced vine tomatoes*
salt & pepper
fresh basil, finely chopped
Optional: Shredded vegan cheez (I prefer Daiya)
Heat water for the pasta on high and add a shake of salt. Boil and cook the pasta al dente (2 minutes before fully cooked).
Heat the oil on medium-high. Add the eggplant and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 5 minutes. If the eggplant looks too dry, add some water as needed. Once browned, stir in the garlic and chili flakes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Add the pasta and basil. Toss and turn off the heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve and sprinkle with cheez as desired.
*The original recipe for this asked for two 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes, but I find fresh is always best, plus you get to practice your knife skills, so I dice my own tomatoes for this.
The photo here shows a bit more green because I had extra spinach that I threw into the dish at the end.
Bon appetito!
