Pasta with eggplant and zucchini bolognese style – also with vegetarian version!

May 19, 2014

We spent the last weekend at my brother country home, where I cooked with my lovely sister in law Alessandra, and my wonderful 2 twin nieces.

We decides to cook this easy easy and tasty dish. To create it I was inspired by a recipe posted by Luca.

Here what is needed:

2 long black eggplants, 1 leek , 1 carrot, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1 onion, 3 zucchini, celery, 200 grams of Italian pancetta or bacon (optional), 2 cloves of garlic, 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil , 1 glass of red wine, 1 leaf bay , plenty of fresh thyme , salt to taste , grated parmesan cheese, 300 gr of pasta.

Here’s how to proceed.

First we cut all the vegetables into small cubes.

If you decide to use the bacon , cut into cubes also this one.

Chop the thyme.

Put in a large nonstick pan 2 tablespoons of olive oil and let brown the bacon .

For the vegetarian version, add 2 tablespoons of oil in the large nonstick pan and add the vegetables from the beginning.

After a few minutes begin to add the vegetables: start with carrot, celery, onion and garlic.
Fry for 3 or 4 minutes, then add the tomatoes , and proceed with the leek , eggplant and then the zucchini and bay leaf .

Cook over low heat , add salt and add the glass of red wine. Let it cook for a while.
Put the lid and continue cooking over low heat for about 45 /50 minutes stirring occasionally , until all the vegetables are cooked.

Cook the pasta and let it boil for half of the cooking time, then put aside 3 or 4 cups of cooking water, drain it and move the pasta into the pan with the sauce and vegetables.

At medium heat, add another 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a little ‘time to the cooking water that we put aside, making it absorb until the pasta is cooked al dente.Let the dough rest 3 to 4 minutes , then serve with a sprinkling of fresh thyme and if you want a little ‘ Parmesan cheese.