I know I said I wasn’t going to write down my own recipes in this blog, but I guess it doesn’t hurt to write recipes which I have used from various magazines throughout my life.

Here is one of my favorites since I am a huge fan of eggplants, cheese of course and parsley. I can’t remember which recipe magazine I got it from but when I remember I will reference it accordingly. In the meantime you need the following items/ingredients:

1. One whole eggplant (medium size).  I use a large size because I love eggplants

2. Sausage: I use Jimmy Dean Spicy but you can use any sausage you want.  If you go with Jimmy Dean, you should only use half the packet unless you love a meaty pasta. **Note: sausage has to be ground, remove skin before cooking

3. One bunch parsley, again you can use whichever type parsley you like but I prefer the one in the photo.

4. One can stewed tomatoes, any brand, even homemade if you are into that sort of thing. I prefer short cuts.

5. Cheese, I prefer buffalo mozzarella but you can use Feta if you like a more robust and salty feel and taste.

How To:

Cut eggplant into 1/4 inch cubes and throw in a 8-10 quart pot, sprinkle extra virgin olive oil about 1/4 cup and cover to stew until semi-done, don’t over-stew or make it pasty, toss the eggplants in order to brown on all sides.

After about 10 minutes, throw the sausage directly into the pot and chop it up with a wooden spoon and then cover the pot. Stir periodically to make sure all the meat browns.

When the eggplant wilts and the sausage browns, pour the can of stewed tomatoes and add two tablespoons of tomato paste and mix with a wooden spoon. Turn down the fire so not to burn the ingredients and let everything  stew together. Put salt and pepper according to your taste buds. I usually don’t use any salt but will use about a pinch of pepper. Cook for another 30 minutes

In another pot, boil water and cook one box of penne pasta and drain. Do not rinse pasta after draining. Pour directly over the sauce and mix with the wooden spoon and turn off the stove, cover the pasta  and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes in the pot.

Wash and pull the parsley from the stem and chop it to your preference – I usually chop it up one round and that’s it.  (Prepping the parsley can be done while the stew in cooking or in the beginning, I normally prep it while the stew is cooking 🙂

Cut up the cheese into cubes as well and let stand. (This you can do last)

After opening up the lid, mix the pasta from bottom to top to get all the flavors throughout and service individually in a pasta bowls. Sprinke the parsley and the cheese on top (like garnish) and serve.

My family is weird about this pasta, three out of five love it so it  may not be for everyone. I personally love it and eat it as if it was my last meal.

***Note: you can also add garlic while sautéing the eggplant, but you don’t have to. I don’t because the spicy Jimmy Dean sausage and the tomato stew have plenty of flavoring and that should be sufficient. 

Pear it with a glass of chardonnay or chenin blanc and garlic bread (if you must). I usually drink the glass of wine and pass up on the bread. ***Dont’ forget to check i.d. on family members while serving alcohol and Enjoy!!!

If you try the recipe, please drop me a line to let me know if you liked it or not.