Italian recipes

Macaroni with sausage eggplant sauce Recipe

Macaroni with sausage eggplant sauce

1    large eggplant (about 2 lbs.)

3/4  lb. Italian hot sausage

3/4  lb. Italian sweet sausage

1/3  cup water

1    tbsp. olive oil

1/2  cup chopped onion

2    large cloves garlic, crushed

1    16 oz. can plain tomatoes

2    8 oz. cans tomato sauce

1    tsp. basil leaves, crushed

2    tbsp. salt

6    cups boiling water

4    cups elbow macaroni

salt and pepper to taste

Peel the eggplant and cut into 1/2 inch

circles.  Set aside.  Remove casing from

sausage and break into chunks.  In large

kettle cook sausage with 1/3 cup water,

covered, for 10 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Drain off water, saute sausage until lightly

browned.  Remove sausage from skillet.  Add

olive oil and heat.  Stir in onion and garlic

and saute until lightly browned.  Add sausage,

egg plant, tomatoes, tomato sauce and basil.

Simmer covered for 45minutes, stirring

occasionally.  Uncover and simmer 15 minutes

longer.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

About 15 minutes before the sauce is done, add

2 tablespoons salt to some rapidly boiling

water.  Cook the macaroni until tender.  Drain

in colander and serve the hot macaroni with

the sauce and top with grated parmesan

cheese if desired.  Serves 8.