Mother Leone's Spaghetti with Italian-Sausage and Eggplant Sauce
From the 1967 book "Leone's Italian Cookbook" by Gene Leone
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6cups
Ingredients
1lbItalian Sweet Sausage
1Eggpant, freshabout 1-1/2 lbs
2lgGarlic cloves, mashed
10sprigsParsley, freshleaves only
3TbspOlive oil
1/4cupButter, fresh
2ozSalt pork, diced
1/4lbOnions, peeled and diced
1tspSalt
1/2tspBlack pepper
3Green peppers, sliced very thin
2cupsPlum tomatoes, peeled, chopped or sievedabout a 1 lb con worth
3lgTomatoes, ripe, chopped fine
Spaghetti
Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Remove the casing from the sausage and cut the meat into small pieces. Wash and dry the eggplant but do not peel it. Cut it into 6 crosswise slices and then into 1/2 inch cubes. Chop the garlic and parsley together.
Combine olive oil, butter and salt pork in a saucepan: heat. Add onions and cook until medium brown. Add sausage and brown for 10 minutes. Add garlic and parsley, salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes longer. Add green peppers and eggplant cubes, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Add canned and fresh tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes, slowly. Taste to see if sauce is cooked and add more salt if necessary.
Cook 3 ounces spaghetti per person in boiling salted water for about 12 minutes, until done to your taste. Drain well and place in a large bowl. Pour sausage and eggplant sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over it. Mix and serve on warm individual plates. Enjoy this dish with a bottle of aged Barolo. Makes about 6 cups sauce.