Eggplant Bolognese

As summer begins to wind down, our edible garden is often at its peak. With an abundance of vibrant basil, and my favorite nightshades, like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant ready to harvest, my attention often turns towards Mediterranean recipes. Here, lovely eggplant and earthy mushrooms provide marvelous flavor and texture to this vegetarian version of a hearty Bolognese sauce. Satisfying without being too heavy, this comforting dish beautifully captures the delicious and sunny joys of late summer.

Ingredients:

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound eggplant, peeled and chopped into ¼-inch cubes, about 4 packed cups

6 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped, about 2 cups

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup finely chopped white onion

½ cup finely chopped carrot

½ cup finely chopped celery

3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 ½ cups mushroom broth (or vegetable stock)

1 ½ cups canned crushed tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 whole sprig basil, plus more leaves chopped for garnishing

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound rigatoni, or other short tube pasta

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions:

Prepare a large pot of salted water and set on a back burner on high.

In a Dutch-oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a plate. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil and reduce the heat to medium. Add the rest of the eggplant, season with salt and pepper, and repeat the process. Set cooked eggplant aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the mushrooms to the pot. Season with a pinch of salt and the whole thyme sprigs. Cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 minutes. As the mushrooms release liquid, use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. When golden, add the onions, carrots, and celery to the mushrooms. Continue to cook until the onions are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Reduce the heat to low, add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring constantly until lightly golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Next, stir in the broth, tomatoes, oregano, basil sprig and the browned eggplant. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, adjust heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, add the pinch of red pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring and mashing half the eggplant with a wooden spoon, until sauce is thickened, about another 5 to 10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering and thickening, bring the pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

Add the cooked pasta, butter, parsley, and a splash of the reserved pasta water, to the sauce and continue to cook, stirring vigorously, until pasta is nicely coated and saucy, about 2 minutes. If the sauce is too thick add another splash of the reserved water. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or pepper as needed.

Serve in warm pasta bowls with a garnish of the chopped basil and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan.

Notes:

This is the type of sauce that tastes better the next day. If you have the time, make the sauce the day before, then reheat and toss with freshly cooked pasta.

The fresh basil is a key component to the flavor of this dish. You could add other fresh herbs while sauteing the mushrooms, such as rosemary or marjoram.

Serve this with a big, crisp salad on the side. Crusty bread for dipping in the sauce is always a good idea. A dry and fruity red such as a Chianti, Barbera d'Asti, or a domestic Syrah would make a lovely pairing. Enjoy.