Umbrian Style Arrabiatta Sauce

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 -2 1/2 lbs fresh plum tomatoes, peeled,seeded,and pureed or 4 cups good quality canned tomatoes or 4 cups jarred italian tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 -3 small hot chili peppers, minced or pureed or 1 -2 tablespoon fresh hot chili paste or 1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes, soaked in 1 tbs boiling water for 10 minutes (more or less to taste)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped or pureed
• 1 sweet roasted red pepper, mashed or pureed (from jar is okay)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste or 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 -2 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
• 1 lb eggplant, peeled and cubed into bite sized pieces,soaked in water to cover with 2 tsp salt for 30 minutes (put plate on top to keep eggplant submerged)
• 1 clove garlic, whole (for eggplant saute)
• additional oil (for eggplant saute)
• 1/2 cup fresh italian parsley, minced
• 1 lb penne or 1 lb other pastas, cooked al dente

Recipe

• 1 put tomato puree in a heavy based pot to simmer, with the butter, ginger, and honey.
• 2 in a small heavy saute pan, heat the oil, then add the hot chili (or paste or flakes).
• 3 add the garlic, sweet pepper, and tomato paste, and saute a few minutes, mashing mixture as you cook, being careful not to scorch it.
• 4 remove from heat and add to simmering tomatoes.
• 5 add oregano and basil, and taste for salt and black pepper.
• 6 also taste for heat quotient- if sauce isn't hot enough for your taste, add more hot chili now.
• 7 remember that the heat will temper a bit as the sauce cooks, and will be further diluted with the addition of the eggplant and pasta.
• 8 continue to simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours total cooking time.
• 9 if using eggplant: drain cubes after 30 minutes and rinse in colander.
• 10 lightly squeeze the cubes with your hands to remove moisture and pat dry with paper towel.
• 11 sprinkle some olive oil on your hands and toss the cubes, coating them with the oil- this initial coating helps prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil in the saute pan.
• 12 heat saute pan, add some oil to coat bottom, and add the whole garlic clove.
• 13 when clove sizzles, swirl it in pan, and then add eggplant.
• 14 saute on high heat, tossing frequently, until golden.
• 15 add cooked eggplant to sauce in the final 15 minutes of cooking, along with the parlsey.
• 16 serve over cooked pasta.