Sausage and Eggplant Sauce for Pasta

Sausage and Eggplant Sauce for Pasta ------- Large Photo of This Pasta Sauce

Diana Rattray

Spicy sausage and lots of eggplant add flavor and texture to this easy pasta sauce. Serve this fresh sauce over your favorite pasta, and pass the Parmesan. If you can't find fresh andouille or chorizo, use a spicy Italian sausage.
Large Photo of This Pasta Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

8 to 12 ounces fresh andouille or chorizo sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 medium eggplants, peeled and diced, about 5 to 6 cups diced eggplant
8 ounces diced portobello mushrooms, or use button mushrooms
8 large basil leaves, chopped
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, or whole tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
salt and pepper, to taste
hot cooked pasta, your choice

Preparation:

Remove sausage from casings.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the sausage in the olive oil, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks. Add onion and cook for about 2 minutes longer. Add garlic, eggplant, and mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add basil, tomatoes, and tomato paste, and sugar, stirring to blend. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with hot cooked pasta.
Serves 6.