Tagliatelle with tomato and aubergine sauce recipe

Poor blog, sorry I neglected you for a long time. Let me repay you with this gem: my fave pasta recipe. This one is for those of you who like a thick, tasty tomato sauce to go with your pasta.

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 800 g Canned roma tomatoes (quickly chop in can with butter knife)
• 25 g Garlic (around 5 medium sized cloves), coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• 1 medium sized onion, diced
• 1 1/2 bay leaves (large)
• 1/2 – 1 tsp dried greek oregano (dried on stem)
• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• salt

Ingredients for the eggplant:

• 1 large (jumbo!) eggplant
• more salt
• dried herbs (basil, oregano, etc)
• more olive oil

Ingredients for the pasta:

• 400 g Tagliatelle (egg ones are nice)
• around 4 L water
• 2 tbsp butter/margarine
• pepper

1. Prepare the sauce by dumping chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic and onions into large saucepan
2. Turn up heat until simmering, add bay leaves, oregano, salt (to taste, probably 1-2 tsp) and sugar (1/2 tablespoon)
3. Turn down low and maintain simmer for 2 hours (or until water has evaporated to give thick sauce). Do not go for coffee break yet.
4. Cut eggplant into thick slices and leave to soak in cold, salty water (around 2 tbsp salt/L) for 30 min or longer. Now you’re allowed to take your coffee break!
5. About 40 mins before your tomato sauce is done, drain and dry the eggplant.
6. Rub olive oil into the eggplant slices and fry with more olive oil as desired. Place slices on paper towel to dry.
7. Cut eggplant into bite sized slivers and fry again for 5 min on low heat with a pinch of dried herbs and a good pinch of salt.
8. Cook pasta in 3.5 L salted water or as described on package. When al dente, take off heat and add 0.5 L cold water, stand for 1 min.
9. Drain in colander, melt 2 tbsp butter/margarine in the pot and return drained pasta to pot. Stir briefly, adding pepper.
10. Mix in eggplant slices.
11. Taste tomato sauce, adding a bit of pepper if necessary
12. Stir in tomato sauce and stand on low heat for 1-2 min. Serve hot.

I’ve tried a lot of recipes for tomato sauces, this was definitely the best. It takes time, but it’s worth it – next time I do it i’ll make a big batch and save some for later. Enjoy…

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