Gemelli Pasta With Tomato Sauce And Roasted Eggplant

The reward of growing tomatoes in your garden is that everyday there is a new harvest, another crop of sun ripened beauties just waiting to be picked and turned into a savory tomato sauce. This recipe pairs garden fresh heirloom tomatoes with tender eggplant from the farmers market.

Gemelli Pasta With Tomato Sauce And Roasted Eggplant

For the eggplant:
3 cups eggplant pealed and cubed
1 cup onions sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a sheet pan add the eggplant with the onions, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat and roast for 30 minutes, until golden brown.

For the tomato sauce:
4 cups fresh tomatoes diced
1 tablespoon garlic finely minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup basil leaves torn
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a saucepan gently heat the olive oil and garlic until it sizzles but does not brown. Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat stirring a few times.

For the pasta:
To a large pot of salted boiling water add 1 pound of gemelli pasta, stir and cook until desired doneness. Please do not over cook the pasta.

To plate:
Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the tomato sauce and the roasted eggplant. If more liquid is needed use the reserved cooking water. Taste for seasoning and sprinkle with freshly grated pecorino romano cheese and the torn basil leaves. Serves 4-6.

Enjoy!