Fusilli with Sausage and Eggplant
 
 
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into ½" cubes
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more, to taste
  • 12 ounces fusilli
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • ½ pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from its casing
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 14 oz. can cherry tomatoes (see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • ¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • ¾ cup grated Provolone cheese
Instructions
  1. Place eggplant in a medium bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt; toss to combine and let sit for 5 minutes. Rinse eggplant with cold water, drain well and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Place eggplant on a double layer of paper towels and set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain, reserving ¾ cup cooking liquid, and transfer to a large bowl.
  3. In the same pot used to cook the pasta, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and brown, breaking it into bite-size pieces with a spoon.
  4. Once sausage is browned, push it to one side of the pot. Add eggplant to the other side of the pot and cook, without stirring, for 3 minutes.
  5. Stir together the sausage and eggplant. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  6. Add shallot and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
  7. Add reserved cooking liquid and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
  8. Add tomatoes with juice, oregano and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally and gently crushing the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to release more of their juices, for 8 minutes.
  9. Add cooked pasta and cheese and stir gently to combine. Season with additional salt to taste.
Notes
I used Mutti® Cherry Tomatoes from World Market, but you can substitute whole peeled tomatoes if it's more convenient.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/fusilli-with-sausage-eggplant/