In my early days as a homemaker, I made this recipe the night I hosted six people for dinner – the largest group I had ever single-handedly entertained in my young cook’s life. My friend Elysia and I strategized for 20 minutes on the phone of what I should make. Pasta can feed a lot of people, which made it our winner. With many italian entrees, you could assign guests to bring along a salad or side, if you want to go potluck style gathering.
DOUBLE THE RECIPE TO SERVE TWELVE!! What hospitality possibilities. One more tip, since eggplant can be controversial I do it in large pieces so it is easy to eat around, if desired.
Caramelized Onion & Eggplant Pasta
Serves five to six
1 eggplant, cubed
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
A dash of salt
A dash of pepper
1 onion, sliced
1 pound pasta (I use gemelli)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flake
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (optional)
Basil leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange eggplant in an even layer on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.
Place onions in a skillet over low heat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Heat for 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until caramelized.
Prepare pasta al dente, according to package instructions.
Add garlic to onions. Deglaze pan with red wine vinegar.
Toss onion mixture with tomato pasta sauce, pasta and chicken (optional). Top with red pepper flake and basil.
- 1 eggplant, cubed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
- A dash of salt
- A dash of pepper
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 pound pasta (I use gemelli)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cups tomato pasta sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flake
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (optional)
- Basil leaves
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange eggplant in an even layer on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.
- Place onions in a skillet over low heat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Heat for 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until caramelized.
- Prepare pasta al dente, according to package instructions.
- Add garlic to onions. Deglaze pan with red wine vinegar.
- Toss onion mixture with tomato pasta sauce, pasta and chicken (optional). Top with red pepper flake and basil.
Adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables.