Braised Eggplant Ragú

Suitable for vegetarians. Omit parmesan for vegan version. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 400g wide pasta (fettuccine or tagliatelle), 
• 1 eggplant, diced into chunks, 
• 1 brown onion, diced, 
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, 
• 6/8 chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced, 
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 
• 1.5 tbsp tomato puree, 
• 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 
• 2 tsp dried oregano, 
• 1 tsp dried thyme, 
• 0.25 tsp chilli flakes, 
• 1 cup red wine, 
• 1 cup vegetable stock, 
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (400g), 
• 0.5 cup water, 
• 1 tbsp olive oil, 
• 0.24 cup parmesan, 
• 1 handful torn basil to garnish.

Method:

• Start by laying out the eggplant chunks on a baking sheet and seasoning well with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes while the water is drawn to the surface. This will lead to a better texture once the eggplant is cooked; softer and less rubbery. Pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• Place a large pot over medium high heat with 2 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, add the eggplant chunks. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until they have browned on the outside and started to soften. 
• Remove the eggplant from the pot. Add a little more oil if needed (eggplant tends to absorb a lot of oil as it cooks) and add the mushrooms. Cooking the veg in separate batches like this helps to avoid crowding the pot and ensures that everything is cooked evenly. Cook mushrooms for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add onions and continue cooking for 3 minutes or until the onions are soft, at which point the mushrooms should start to brown.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the rosemary, tomato puree, tamari, oregano, thyme, and chilli flakes and mix to combine. Cook for a minute or so or until the tomato paste starts to darken in colour. The mixture should be very fragrant at this point.
• Add the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Simmer for a minute or so to burn off the alcohol.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, and water. Add the eggplant back into the pot and bring to a simmer.
• Place pot on a low flame and cover partially. Let simmer for 45-50 minutes or until the eggplant is very soft, almost falling apart when touched. Stir often during the cooking, especially towards the end, as it can catch and burn quite easily. The sauce should be quite thick at this point but if there are still some puddles of liquid, continue simmering and stirring until there are no more puddles.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling, heavily salted water, until al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving a little pasta water.
• Add the parmesan and the tbsp of olive oil and stir through. Adding a drizzle of olive oil at the end of cooking can add a beautiful shine and silkiness to a sauce. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well, adding a splash of pasta water to help the sauce come together. 
• Serve while hot, garnishing with some torn fresh basil and a little extra parm.