White Eggplant?

Farms and markets are loaded this week with all sorts of late summer harvest goodies including great tomatoes, peppers and eggplants in a variety of beautiful shapes and colors. Large plump white eggplants are what caught my eye while shopping at the Whole Earth Center, a great place to shop in downtown Princeton for some of the very best fresh locally grown produce outside of farm market hours. I've been successfully preparing this eggplant and tomato sauce for years with the traditional purple ones but have now discovered the white to be superior in the dish because of its' extra firm and nearly seed free flesh. I prefer the outward appearance of purple aubergine, to this comparatively anemic looking couterpart, but the fact of the matter is that once the fruit is peeled and cooked color is no longer an issue.

Rustic Eggplant & Tomato Sauce
Serves 6 (about 1 1/2 quarts sauce)

This fragrant chunky sauce is easily assembled and quickly cooked. It makes a very satisfying supper served over a bowl of hot pasta (I love whole wheat for this), seasoned spaghetti squash (that's what I used in the photo) or spooned over grilled fish steaks. Leave the skins on the tomatoes as their texture is welcome in this rustic sauce. It also works nicely as a savory topping for crostini.


1/3 cup evo (extra-virgin olive oil)
1 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
generous 1/3 cup red wine
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound) peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 1/2 to 3 pounds very ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 5 generous cups chopped)
1/3 cup large capers, drained
1/3 cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 shredded fresh basil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
drizzle of balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until tender, fragrant and just beginning to color a bit, about 5 mins or so. Add the wine and simmer briefly. Add the diced eggplant to the pan, toss to coat in pan juices, season with a generous pinch of salt and saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very tender and cooked down, about 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, capers and olives. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook at a gentle simmer until the tomatoes are very soft and the sauce is aromatic, about 20 minutes. Add the basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, stir and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.