Eggplant Spaghetti Sauce
We loved it and used it in the Turkey Lasagna recipe.
Yield
6 servingsPrep
30 minCook
60 minReady
90 minIngredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ | cup |
corn oil
|
|
| 1 | each |
baby eggplant
about 1/2 pound |
* |
| 1 | medium |
onions
finely chopped, red or vidalia |
|
| 2 | cloves |
garlic
smashed and chopped |
|
| 2 | tablespoons |
parsley leaves
fresh |
|
| 1 | cup |
italian plum (roma) tomatoes
cut up |
|
| 1 | can |
tomato paste
6 ounces |
|
| ½ | cup |
red wine
|
*
|
| 4 | ounces |
mushrooms
cut up, (large) |
|
| 1 | tablespoon |
oregano
fresh |
|
| 2 | tablespoons |
basil
fresh |
|
| 1 ½ | teaspoons |
salt
|
|
| 1 | tablespoon |
sugar
if needed. see note |
|
| options | |||
| ½ | pound |
italian sausage
see note |
|
| ¾ | pound |
ground beef
or other ground meat, see note |
|
| ¾ | pound |
chicken tenders
see note |
*
|
| ½ | pound |
pork
cubed, see note |
|
Ingredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | ml |
corn oil
|
|
| 1 | each |
baby eggplant
about 1/2 pound |
* |
| 1 | medium |
onions
finely chopped, red or vidalia |
|
| 2 | cloves |
garlic
smashed and chopped |
|
| 3E+1 | ml |
parsley leaves
fresh |
|
| 237 | ml |
italian plum (roma) tomatoes
cut up |
|
| 1 | can |
tomato paste
6 ounces |
|
| 118 | ml |
red wine
|
*
|
| 115.6 | ml/g |
mushrooms
cut up, (large) |
|
| 15 | ml |
oregano
fresh |
|
| 3E+1 | ml |
basil
fresh |
|
| 7.5 | ml |
salt
|
|
| 15 | ml |
sugar
if needed. see note |
|
| options | |||
| 226.8 | g |
italian sausage
see note |
|
| 340.2 | g |
ground beef
or other ground meat, see note |
|
| 340.2 | g |
chicken tenders
see note |
*
|
| 226.8 | g |
pork
cubed, see note |
|
Directions
NOTES: Onion: the type of onion will determine the sugar content of the sauce, taste at ½ hour to adjust sugar.
Eggplant: peel and cut into ¾ inch or so cubes.
Wine: any dry wine will do, but Cabernet Sauvignon is now inexpensive and bold- "Vendange 1992 is what I use.
PRE-PREP Mince onion, cube eggplant, smash and mince garlic, mince parsley, open cans of tomato and tomato paste, pour some wine for yourself.
METHOD Heat oil until very hot, add onions and eggplant and stir often, the goal is to sweat nearly all of the fluid out of the vegetables.
Add garlic, stir well and give the garlic a minute to blend.
Add Tomatoes, stir well, add wine, and tomato paste, mix to blend, add parsley, oregano, and basil.
Stir to blend well and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes stirring often.
Add option if desired, simmer for another 15 minutes.
Taste and decide if the sauce needs some sugar, (sometimes the eggplant are a bit bitter and sugar is required).
Add sugar if required and simmer for another 20 minutes or so.
Add salt and stir well, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning at this point.
Add a dash of cayenne or other chili powder at the end and stir in to peak the flavors.
The total cooking time is 45 minutes to an hour, of course any sauce will be better the second day.
OPTIONS Sausage: Pierce and steam the sausage to cook through and to exude some of the fat from the sausage or brown it well and drain the fat.
Ground Meat: brown any lean ground meat in a skillet and drain.
Chicken Strips, or cubes: grill or brown skinned chicken strips, or use turkey or duck.
Pork cubes: grill or lightly brown lean pork chunks.
