Eggplant Tomato Sauce with Tortellini

This sauce pairs very well with cheese tortellini – the sauce has some bitter (eggplant) and acidic (tomato, capers) flavors that go with the richness of the cheese.  I could see this dish be great with some pork roast cooked with plenty of garlic until it was falling apart, but that’s where the lazy part comes in…

Ingredients

1 eggplant

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T Italian parsley, minced

2 T basil, minced

1 T capers

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

2 T olive oil

cheese tortellini

To Do

1.  Peel and cube the eggplant.  The eggplant has excess moisture that is best removed before cooking, so either salt it – generously sprinkle salt on the eggplant and let sit between paper towels for ~15 minutes, brushing any excess salt away after – or microwave it for a few minutes first.  I’ve never tried to microwave it, but apparently it works.

2.  Saute the eggplant in the olive oil over medium heat for ~10 minutes, until soft throughout and golden.  Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.  Add the garlic and let simmer for ~5 minutes until you’re ready to serve.

3.  Meanwhile, cook the tortellini.  A couple of minutes before serving, add the parsely, basil, and capers to the sauce.