Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Slice eggplants into ½ inch thick rounds. Place on a baking sheet and cover with olive oil, sprinkling with salt and adding more oil as needed. Rub olive oil over tomatoes and place on another baking sheet. Roast vegetables until nicely browned and the tomatoes are blistered. Meanwhile, put a large pot of water to boil and salt it.

Chop roasted tomatoes into bite-sized cubes. Add olive oil to a cooking pan. Turn the heat to medium, add the garlic and chiles, and cook until the garlic colors a little bit. Add the tomatoes and oregano, along with some salt and pepper; cook until saucy but not too dry, stirring occasionally. 

Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. While it’s cooking, cut the eggplant into strips and reheat for a minute in the tomato sauce. Drain the pasta and toss it with the tomato sauce and the eggplant. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then top with the parsley or basil and grated cheese and serve.

2 teaspoon good dried Oregano, or 2 tablespoon fresh

Modified NYT Cooking Recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014832-pasta-alla-norma

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy large wide pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cover and cook until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add paprika, salt, coriander, fennel, pepper, cumin, and ginger; stir 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, 1 cup water, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice; bring to a boil.

Arrange all chicken in a single layer in a pot; spoon sauce over and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Turn chicken over, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Spread eggplant out on the baking sheet, salt, and brush with remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until soft and brown, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.

Stir eggplant into chicken. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes to heat through and blend flavors. Season stew to taste with more lemon juice, if desired, and salt and pepper.

Top with almonds and cilantro. Serve with couscous or boiled potatoes.

2 large Eggplant, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes

Use dark meat because it stays moist when braised. If you prefer white meat, reduce the cooking time by 15 minutes.

Perfect Wine Pairing: Château de Nages Réserve Red

Eggplant Recipes