What to do with eggplant

My sister raised a really good point recently: eggplant usually takes a long time to cook! Usually I do either eggplant parmigiana, or layer it in some kind of lasagna, both of which take a little too much work. Not only that, as much as I like eggplant, it's either mushy and flavorless, or deep fried, when I order it in a restaurant.

This recipe is an awesome, healthy way to get that earthy eggplant flavor into a pasta dish. It also happens to be vegan!

First, I grilled some sliced eggplant in a grill pan, though you could just as easily do this on the BBQ.

  Then I grilled up some tomatoes for a sauce base

Once those are grilled, chop everything up and toss it into a sauce pan with some onions, garlic, and  crushed tomatoes.

Simmer and season for 15-20 minutes or so, and you're left with a smoky, earthy, eggplanty sauce!

Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Sauce

2 small or 1 large eggplant, sliced
2 Tomatoes, sliced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 large can crushed tomatoes, with liquid (the fire roasted ones are the best)
Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper, Seasonings to taste

First, grill the sliced eggplant and tomatoes on a grill pan or on the barbecue. In a saucepan, saute the onion and garlic until tender, and add the diced eggplant and tomatoes along with the can of crushed tomatoes. Simmer for about 20 minutes, seasoning to taste.