

About the Recipe
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Ingredients
EGGPLANT
2 medium or large eggplants
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
SAUCE
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
4 garlic cloves
½ onion
1/2 cup vegetable broth
24 oz of tomato puree (you can also blend canned tomatoes to make your own)
½ teaspoon of oregano
½ teaspoon of thyme
½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
10 oz of spaghetti pasta
DECORATING
¼ cup of Parmesan cheese (freshly grated is the best)
½ of fresh basil leaves chopped
Preparation
PREP
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
Cut the Eggplant into cubes
Mince the garlic (crush it before cutting)
Finely chop onion You're Doing It Wrong? How to Cut an Onion the Rachael Ray Way
Make sure you have oven mittens ready
1 Large pot (4-6 quarts) for boiling pasta, 1 medium/large saucepan, 1 large skillet or frying pan
BAKE EGGPLANT
Toss eggplant cubes with oil, salt, and pepper and bake for 20 min
Flip eggplant cubes and then bake for an additional 5 min
COOK PASTA
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a dash of salt
Follow package instructions (usually 7-10 minutes for al dente) stir occasionally to ensure pasta doesn’t burn on the bottom
Once cooked, drain the pasta water out and save it
COOK SAUCE
In the skillet or frying pan, heat oil on medium heat
Add garlic and cook for 20 sec until lightly golden (DO NOT BURN), then add onion and cook for 2 minutes until the onion in translucent
In the Saucepan, add ½ cup of vegetable broth on medium-high until it simmers
Add in the garlic and onion mixture
Next, add the tomato paste (pour the excess pasta water into the can or container to get all the tomato paste)
Next, add the dried oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, stir and simmer for 5 min
Next, add the cooked and drained pasta and toss until fully coated. Then gently mix in the eggplant
Finally, serve and garnish with fresh basil and parmesan