Tomato Sauce alla Siciliana

By charlotteh371

Suggested pasta: 1 lb.dried cavatappi or other short, sturdy pasta.

Beyond pasta: Serve over grilled lamb chops or sausages. Mix with grilled or roasted peppers, summer squash, or onions to make a ratatouille-style side dish.

Cheese option: Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb. baby eggplant (1 to 2 eggplant), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (to yield about 2 cups)
• 1-1/2 lb. cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved
• 1 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. aged balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint leaves

Preparation

Step 1

In a 10- or 11-inch sauté pan, heat the oil, onion, and garlic over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened but not browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cubed eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant softens and begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a lively but not too vigorous simmer, until the tomatoes have been reduced to a thick, pulpy sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle the balsamic vinegar over the sauce, stir, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Stir in the mint and more salt and pepper to taste.

To serve with pasta

While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of abundantly salted water to a vigorous boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain it well. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if needed. Toss the pasta with three-quarters of the sauce and divide among individual serving bowls. Spoon a little of the remaining sauce over each serving and sprinkle on the cheese, if you like.