Chunky Ratatouille Sauce
Makes 6 servings
Serve this sauce over small pasta shells. This recipe is a good base, but a little bland. I am going to have to play with it a little.
1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 small onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red wine, divided
1/4 - 1/2 cup water, divided
8 ounces cremini mushrooms
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
Soak eggplant chunks in salted water for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and drain again. Braise onion, celery, and garlic in 1/4 cup wine. When vegetables are soft, add eggplant and 1/4 cup water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add more water if necessary to keep mixture from drying out. Add mushrooms, Italian seasonings, thyme, black pepper, remaining 1/4 cup wine, and tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes.