One Pot Eggplant and Italian Sausage Pasta
A velvety smooth sauce with eggplant, tomato and red wine. Chucks of sweet Italian sausage and lots of parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fusilli pasta
- 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 pound Mild Italian Sausage, casings removed
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium eggplant, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 1 15 ounce can whole plum tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt & pepper
- 1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (additional for topping)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside 1 cup of pasta water, drain and set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in pot over medium-low heat. Add shallots and garlic to pan, cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add sausage to the pan. Break into small pieces and brown until cooked through.
- Deglaze the pan with wine. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced. If the pan is dry add remaining olive oil. Add eggplant to the pan. Turn heat up to medium and cook for 10 minutes, or until beginning to soften.
- Break up tomatoes with your hands. Add to pot. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Lower heat, add pasta and cheese to sauce. Stir together. Add pasta water to loosen as needed, I typically use 1/3-1/2 cup. Top with additional Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes
Adapted from Food Network.