Pasta with Eggplant and Sausage

from the San Francisco Chronicle, Mar 5, 1986

submitted by Mike Dewees

preparation time: 2 hours overall

serves 6 to 8

1 pound hot Italian sausage

⅓ cup olive oil

1 large eggplant, about 1⅓ pounds

1 large onion, diced

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup minced parsley, pressed

1 teaspoon each leaf oregano, basil

½ teaspoon thyme leaves

salt and pepper

2 1-pound cans Italian-style tomatoes (or diced)

¼ cup stuffed green olives, sliced

¼ cup sliced ripe olives

1 cup dry red wine

1 pound package large shell pasta, cooked at the last minute

¼ cup or more freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Remove casings from sausage. Crumble sausage and brown in heavy pot, then set aside using a slotted spoon; pour off fat.

Heat the olive oil in the above pot and sauté the eggplant with onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. When the eggplant is softened, add the sausage back to the pot.

Add the tomatoes and olives to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours until the sauce is thickened and well blended. Add wine, salt and pepper to taste and serve over the hot cooked pasta and pass the Parmesan.