Garden Pomodoro Sauce
Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, and I am always looking for new ways to incorporate it into my dishes. Recently my husband and I took a trip to New Orleans and saw Pasta Pomodoro (tomato in Italian) on a dinner menu with the addition of eggplant. I immediately came home and made my own version. If eggplant makes you nervous, this is a great introduction as the eggplant gets blended into the sauce. My Garden Pomodoro Sauce has a fresh flavor and velvety texture from the blended eggplant. It is the perfect summer pasta sauce and only requires simple ingredients. Mangiamo!
Ingredients
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
1 eggplant, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 4 large chunks
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 parmesan cheese rind (optional)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 lb. of your favorite pasta for serving
Recipe
Sauté the smashed garlic cloves in 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat until slightly softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the cubed eggplant to the pot and sauté for another 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the whole tomatoes, parmesan cheese rind, carrot, and basil to the pot. Break up the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook covered for 45-55 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Remove the carrots and parmesan cheese rind from the pot and discard.
Remove the pot from the heat. Blend the tomato and eggplant mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.
Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese and stir until it is fully incorporated. This step must be done off the heat or it will get clumpy and weird. Just keep stirring. It will melt all the way into the sauce.
Add 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt and 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Taste for any additional seasonings.
Toss with 1 lb. of your favorite pasta and top with more parmesan cheese, chopped fresh basil, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
