Fresh Tagliatelle in an Aubergine Tomato Sauce

Clearly, I am enjoying my new pasta maker. A tutorial on fresh pasta to come soon :)

• 1 large eggplant (aubergine)
• A handful of fresh basil
• 2 large cloves of garlic
• One onion
• 1/4 cup of tomato paste
• 1 large tin of good quality tomatoes
• A tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• A pinch of paprika
• Fresh parmesan

Tip: If you have a barbecue, nothing compares to this sauce with a slightly smokey taste. If you can, marinate the eggplant in salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil and barbecue it then add it to the tomato based sauce.

1. Mince the garlic and onions very finely
2. Toss them in a warm saucepan on a medium-high heat with some olive oil 
3. After about 4 minutes, add the tinned tomatoes and tomato paste and season with salt, pepper, paprika, sugar and oregano
4. Add the eggplant in thin but long slices and let cook until the eggplant is soft
5. Before serving, finely chop the fresh basil and mix it into the sauce
6. Garnish with fresh parmesan and basil leaves 

Healthier alternatives: avoid the parmesan and use less olive oil. If you don't mind the sauce being slightly more bitter, leave out the sugar or use a tiny amount of stevia (a wonderful natural sweetener, but be warned, it is VERY sweet). If you are aiming to reduce your carb intake, you could always opt for a quinoa based pasta which is something I do pretty often.