Ancient Grain Pasta with Eggplant and Sausage

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Markets/10-ancient-grains-to-watch-from-kamut-to-quinoa

This is a great dish for folks who want great tasting food , but are mindful with regard to healthful ingredients and fewer calories. We love Ancient Grains pasta and have found it to be the only pasta you can cook right in the sauce without it turning mushy due to the lower temperature and reduced liquid. Great product! We eat this often and sometimes splurge by using pork. Excellent quality leaner Italian pork sausage can be found  on Arthur Avenue. The flavor is so good that a little goes a long way. As a regular and frequent main dish in our home, we usually use chicken  sausage, also available on Arthur Avenue in sweet or hot. Go with the hot as eggplant is sweet and thus provides an interesting contrast of flavors. All that’s needed at lunch or dinner is a nice green salad . In the cooler weather, you may want a hot side such as broccoli, escarole or broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic and olive oil with crushed red pepper and a pinch of salt. The rabe and broccoli  also benefits from a small squeeze of fresh lemon.

2 medium eggplants, Italian preferred, peeled or not

4 sausage links

4 cloves of garlic , minced or crushed

1  ½ teaspoons of oregano or more if you like

Olive oil as needed

1 large can of diced tomato packed in puree

1½ cup each fresh Basil and Parsley leaves chopped fine

½ cup of Ricotta Salata or Feta; you can mix the 2, but feta is generally saltier

2 tablespoons of hard cheese grated, such as Parmigiano, or Romano

1 box of Ancient Grains pasta

½ cup each fresh basil and parsley leaves chopped fine

½ cup of Ricotta Salata or Feta; you can mix the 2, but feta is generally saltier

2 tablespoons of hard cheese grated, such as Parmigiano, or Romano

Cut eggplant into large dice and set aside . Remove the sausage from the casing.  Heat a heavy frying pan with 1 tsp of oil. Add the sausage breaking it up with a fork . Brown the sausage well and drain off all the meat fat. Remove sausage from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat and add eggplant. Cook until almost done , stirring frequently to avoid sticking. Add garlic and sausage; cook about 5 minutes to color garlic. Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook covered  about  15 minutes on medium flame. Add 1 cup of water and bring to boil. Add pasta and cover . Cook about 8 minutes and taste Turn off at al dente stage. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in herbs and cheese. Serve with salad or cooked leafy greens and bread. Need bread? Try Madonia, Addeo, or Terranova for the crusty Italian bread you can only find on Arthur Avenue.

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