Pasta with Roasted Eggplant and Meat Sauce | The Bittman Project

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, cut into small cubes
• 8 ounces ground beef or lamb
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped (canned are fine; drain them first)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine or water
• 8 ounces any pasta, preferably whole wheat
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional