Eggplant & Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

On a whim this week I called up my mom and invited ourselves over for dinner. Even though we talk on the phone weekly, it felt like I hadn't actually seen my parents in person for awhile, so a dinner visit sounded just right. It's funny to me how the older I get the more I enjoy spending time with them. I mean at a certain age, say middle school all the way through high school, the last thing you want to do is hang out with your parents. Now I kind of enjoy it.

We arrived with a non-fancy, but oh so good, chocolate cake (recipe soon!) as my mom was putting together an enchilada feast. We chatted for a bit and caught up, while Scott and my dad were outside. Then my mom showed me what she's been up to the past month.

Rows and boxes of canned goods all put-up by her. There was apple butter, herb marmalade, roasted red pepper jelly, green beans, and more jars of canned tomatoes then from a previous visit sometime around mid-August, where she and I did them together. Isn't that awesome?! She hit the canning bug this year as much as I did. Or at least as much as I thought I would.

I came to her early this summer with the idea that I wanted to can lots of tomatoes. Of coarse I don't currently own any of my own canning equipment, but I knew my mom did, so I called for an all out, mother-daughter, tomato canning extravaganza. My sister even showed up the day we did it, although she just hung out instead of taking part. We canned around 20 pounds of tomatoes that day. Which all lead up to my mom canning even more; exclaiming how cute the little 1/2 pint size jars are. Because they totally are.

Of coarse she sent me home with a few of her concoctions. What does one do with herb marmalade? Put it on toast? If you have any ideas they are welcome. She also handed me a jar of roasted red peppers that were leftover from the pepper jelly that didn't get canned and had to be eaten soon.

I figured I would just use the peppers as a sandwich filling or for some other random meal. Instead I remembered I had picked up a couple eggplant from the market the day before and it had been awhile since we last enjoyed a warm plate of pasta. Warming, heartier meals have been on my mind the last few days, as the weather has made a major switch into Fall-like temperatures.

Eggplant, to me, has the textural similarity to grilled or cooked portobello mushrooms. They are hearty and meaty with the perfect amount of chew when cooked just right. Plus they both seem to want to hold onto whatever you marinade or season them with. This is one of those week night meals that comes together really quickly, but gives back so beautifully. So now I'm interested, what have you canned so far or plan on canning this summer/fall?

Eggplant & Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4-5 whole stripes of roasted red peppers cut into small pieces (about 1 whole red bell pepper roasted, see above)
2 tablespoons finely chopped Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
12 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, then stir in the cubed eggplant. Stir occasionally for about 5-6 minutes or until the eggplant begins to soften.

Stir in the roasted red peppers, olives, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes so everything is heated through. At this point add more salt to taste.

Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook according to package instructions or until al dente.

To serve, spoon the sauce over each plate of pasta and sprinkle with basil and/or parsley.