Roasted Eggplant with Angel Hair Pasta and Tomato Sauce

I definitely surprised myself here.  Pres and I pulled into the driveway after visiting my parents for the weekend.  We were starving, so I went to the kitchen and "threw this together."

Usually, a throw together would be a microwave meal, Lipton boxed chicken flavored pasta or even ordering pizza.  Not this time.  I knew I had eggplant and cherry tomatoes that were on their way out, and I have made a point to keep stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce in the pantry, so I flipped through one of the cookbooks on my shelf, Veganomicon, for a little guidance.  I found it in a recipe for Eggplant-Potato Moussaka with Pine Nut Cream, a dish that called for eggplant, tomato sauce and pine nuts, all of which I had on hand.  So I altered it a bit to get roasted eggplant with a pine nut crust and angel hair pasta with tomato sauce.  What makes it a bit different is the cinnamon in the sauce and the nutmeg on the eggplant.

Roasted Eggplant

Ingredients:

Eggplant, sliced

Spice mixture: 2 tbsp. oregano, 1 tbsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. pepper, 1/8 tsp. paprika, and 1/8 tsp. salt 

3 tbsp. olive oil (I used garlic chipotle infused olive oil from Central Market)

panko breadcrumbs

pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place sliced eggplant on cookie sheet, rub spice mixture into both sides.  brush with olive oil.  set some of the olive oil aside to brush on eggplant in case it gets too dry. Baked for 18 minutes.  Meanwhile, add pine nuts and breadcrumbs to food processor and chop until mixture reaches an even consistency.  Add to top of eggplant slices and broil for 2 minutes or until golden brown. 

Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato Sauce 

Ingredients:

Angel hair pasta, cooked to box specifications (Ronzoni Smart Taste)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup sherry cooking wine

1 can stewed tomatoes, garlic flavor

3 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (or more canned tomatoes)

1 small can tomato sauce

2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 bay leaves

salt

Cook pasta.  Meanwhile, Combine olive oil, garlic and shallots in heavy bottomed sauce pan.  Heat over medium heat until shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add wine and simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 more minutes.  Add crushed tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, cinnamon and bay leaves.  Partially cover and simmer over medium low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove bay leaves.

I wonder if this counts as a "thirty minute meal." Enjoy!