One pot to make the sauce. Then you add the spaghetti to the pot and cook it right in the sauce. Pretty cool. Especially when the pasta absorbs all the sauce and tastes so rich and yummy. The sauce has only 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 4 to 6 servings. No cream. Cheese optional. The eggplant gives it so much character and density that it tastes like it has meat in it.
I developed the recipe for my senior’s Healthy Cooking class. The class is part of Foster City Village, a nonprofit to help keep seniors in their homes. The 12 students in my class range in age from 65 to 92 and they all stand around and cook. My goal is to make the recipes as easy and healthy as possible. To that end, I throw in a bunch of raw spinach when it finishes cooking for additional nutrients and color.
My students raved. I think when you make it, you will rave, too.
ONE POT SPAGHETTI WITH EGGPLANT, SPINACH & TOMATOES
1 medium eggplant, ( about 1 pound)
1 chunk Parmesan cheese, rind removed and cheese sliced with a vegetable peeler
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Dash red pepper flakes, optional
Salt and pepper, optional
1/2 cup + 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock or broth, divided
1 can (14.5 oz.) petite diced tomatoes, with juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
8 ounces whole-grain spaghetti or linguini, broken up, if desired
1 package (5 oz.) baby spinach
1. To prepare eggplant: Peel, cut in half lengthwise and cut into long 1-inch strips. Cut into 1 ½ inch chunks.
2. To prepare cheese: Cut rind off cheese and use about 1 to 2-inches for the pasta. If you have any left, freeze in a baggie for future sauces. Shave enough cheese for serving and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. To make sauce: In a wide saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and eggplant and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper flakes, if using. Add ½ cup stock and cheese rind, cover and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is soft; 8 to 10 minutes. (This can sit off the heat for several hours, but be sure to reheat before continuing.)
4. To hot pot, add tomatoes with juice, 1 ½ cups stock and oregano; stir. Bring to a boil, add pasta, making sure to separate strands. Stir to submerge in liquid as much as possible.
5. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 7 minutes or until pasta is almost done; stirring once. Uncover, add spinach in batches, stirring until spinach wilts. Season with salt and sprinkle with cheese.
Makes 6 servings.
