Eggplant with Angel Hair Pasta, Feta, and Basil

I love eggplant! The end of summer is a little (well a lot) depressing but the eggplants in NJ are plentiful and delicious this time of year. The other day two co-workers were discussing their dislike of eggplant - it was almost too painful to listen to - bitter, spongy, hate it... How could it be? Maybe they have not had them properly prepared? I love eggplant fried, parm, rollatini, baba ghanoush, grilled, and so on and so on... I love feta also and I think that the combination works really well together. Ricotta salata would be great also.

Eggplant with Angel Hair Pasta, Feta, and Basil

Cube 1 medium sized Italian eggplant, salt liberally, and placed in a colander for 30 minutes to draw out some moisture. Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan. Add 1 chopped onion and cooked until the onion begins to soften. Next, add 4 minced garlic cloves. Once the onion and garlic are softened, add a large can of diced tomatoes (29 oz.) and season with salt, pepper, and a dash of sugar. Simmer for half an hour. Rinse and pat dry the cubed eggplant. Next, toss the eggplant in a bowl with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and roast on a baking sheet in a preheated 400 degree oven - toss it every so often so that it will cook evenly. Cook the angel hair pasta when the sauce and eggplant are nearly done. I like to place the finished sauce in the food processor for a beautiful smooth consistency. When the pasta is done toss with the eggplant, sauce, and top with crumbled feta and fresh basil. Simple, delicious, and not at all heavy.