Eggplant Marinara Sauce

I'm exploring new ways of eating and cooking.  Normally, our family meals have consisted of large portions of meat with a healthy serving of a vegetable, a starch and a salad. Nowadays, I'm trying very hard to cut down on the meat portions and increasing the vegetables on our plates.

However, my family isn't so sure they want to make the changes I'm telling them they (we) need to make, and since I'm the one in the kitchen it's fallen on me to make these new meals very tasty and filling.

I didn't plan this recipe ahead of time; I just had these vegetables on hand and decided to put them to good use.  My family loved this sauce and it tasted even better the next day.

Eggplant Marinara Sauce

2 Tablespoons Joe And Son’s Olive Oils Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil…I used Organic Coratina

1 small eggplant, unpeeled and cut into 2" pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 medium carrot, sliced into thin rounds

2 small zucchinis, washed, unpeeled and sliced into thin rounds

1 cup diced yellow onions

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 16 ounce can diced  tomatoes and  the liquid

½ cup water

1 tablespoon capers, drained

¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta

 

Pour the EVOO into a large sauté pan and warm to a medium/high temperature. Add the eggplant and carrot slices and lower the temperature to medium.  Stir to evenly coat the pieces and cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables become soft.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the zucchini slices.  Add a teaspoon of EVOO if the pan is too dry.  Stir and sauté over low heat for about 5  minutes.

Add the onions and garlic to the zucchini in the pan and continue to cook until the onions are transparent….about 12 minutes, or so.

Add the next 7 ingredients, in that order and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.  Add the eggplant and carrots and salt and pepper to taste.

Cook over low heat for another 10 minutes.  Serve hot over Penne or Farfalle pasta or long pasta of your choice