roasted eggplant, pepper and garlic sauce

This is a yummy versatile sauce. I saw a version of this recipe in the New York Times Sunday edition and thought...hmmm let's work with this.  My take on the recipe is vegan and with more traditional Italian spice.

Roasted Eggplant, Pepper and Garlic sauce 

This recipe makes two large jars of sauce. I use one for the pasta and save the other for pizza.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
•  2 red peppers, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 whole garlic head (cut a small piece of the top off to expose garlic)
•  1-2 TB extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 TB (or more to taste) herb de Provence
• 1 tsp salt 
• 2 pounds very ripe tomatoes, cut into small pieces
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 TB basil
• 1TB oregano
• Fresh mint or basil leaves, for serving
• 12 ounces pasta rigatoni or farfalle 

Preparation

Japanese eggplants were on special..either works

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread out eggplant cubes and peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and season well with herb de provence and little salt. On the side place the head of garlic.
2. Roast, turning everything, until eggplant and peppers are very soft and deeply golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
3. Chop tomatoes into small chunks, place in large sauce pan
4. Add the roasted garlic, a little water, can of tomato paste, basil, oregano, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan with the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Simmer until till rich and sauce like. then season to taste with a little salt if you like.
5. Add all roasted veggies. Simmer.
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta in well-salted boiling water until about 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain.
7. Mix pasta and sauce.
8. Serve pasta topped with fresh basil.

****When I told my brother that I had posted this recipe he reminded me to post "the Secret." Fennel seeds. My brother Pete is a chef in an Italian restaurant. He specializes in appetizers. The sauce is always the key to any Italian dish and this is no exception. Today's version has a heaping teaspoon or two of fennel seeds. Maybe next time I will use whole fresh fennel bulb!

Two mason jars are just waiting in my fridge. A night in the fridge will make the sauce even tastier.