Easy and Flavorful Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Eggplant Sauce

Simple, quick and flavorful pasta to make any dinner special

This post has been written in collaboration with Sogno Toscano. All opinions are mine alone.

Happy Weekend everyone!

I hope you had the chance to see my latest Instagram stories where I showed you how to make this recipe step-by-step, AND the amazing package of Italian goodies I received from Sogno Toscano: a whole box full of different types of pasta (orecchiette pugliesi, fusilloni, gigli toscani, paccheri and spaghetti alla chitarra), some olive oil and the biggest cans of tomatoes I’ve ever seen. Take a look! Maybe it’s a little hard to put into perspective, but that is a regular size 16 fl oz bottle of ol ive oil next to a +6 lb can of delicious tomatoes.

Anyways, I used those and just a couple of other ingredients I had around the kitchen and end up with this amazing lunch. Quick, simple, oh-so flavorful and in a perfect twirl!

If you are not familiar with Sogno Toscano, you should really check it out. Especially if you are anything like me: an Italian foodie and pasta addict who is in constant search for top quality Italian ingredients.

Sogno Toscano offers superior quality products, and not just fun pasta, tomatoes and olive oils. But also crackers and sweets, antipasti, cheeses, cut meats and seafood products. And lots more!

Check it all out here. And make sure to use code Manuela-Mazzocco for 10% off your order.

Plus: free delivery in the USA for all orders over 59$.

Now, let’s talk pasta for a minute. For this recipe I used these oragnic Sogno Toscano spaghetti alla chitarra. These are thick, square-cross-section spaghetti, made in an ancient pasta factory in the hills of Tuscany, preserving the hand-made traditional methods of producing and packing. A must-try pasta for sure!

Every mouthwatering forkful of this dish has it all: the thick spaghetti perfectly coated in a flavorful tomato sauce, mingled with scrumptious eggplant pieces, a touch of oregano and fresh basil. Ready to try it too?!?

Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: 4 servings

- 16 oz spaghetti alla chitarra
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 medium eggplant, cut in 3/4 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes (I used Sogno Toscano Organic whole peeled tomatoes)
- dried oregano, to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- few basil leaves

PREPARATION:

TIME: 30 minutes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil add the crushed garlic clove.

Add the eggplant cubes and cook over medium high for 5 minutes, mixing often to cook on all sides.

Lower the heat to medium low, season with salt, pepper and oregano if you like, and cook until done. Remove the garlic at the end.

In a separate sauce pan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and crushed garlic clove. Heat for one minute and add the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and oregano (or basil), and simmer until the pasta is ready.

Cook the pasta in the boiling water until ready al dente. Please check the package for timing.

Drain the pasta with a colander, saving some of the cooking water. Or even better, transfer the spaghetti from the water to the large pan with the eggplants using a pasta fork or tongs, so you will save the starchy water if needed.

Add the tomato sauce, and a ladle of cooking water. Toss with basil leaves broken into pieces and some Parmesan cheese if desired.