Eggplant Zucchini Bolognese -- The Meal I’ll Make When James Gets Here

Something arrived in my mailbox this week that I was not expecting. A letter from my brother James, postmarked from Atlanta, handwritten on paper. James is not a letter-writing man — he is barely a phone-calling man — and when I saw his handwriting on the envelope I sat down before I opened it because handwritten letters from people who don't write letters are almost always carrying something serious.

Dorothy is sick. James's wife of thirty-one years. Breast cancer, diagnosed six weeks ago, already in treatment. He said he had waited to tell me because he didn't know yet how serious it was and he didn't want to alarm me before he had information, and now he had information and the information was that it was serious but the prognosis was not hopeless and they were working with a good oncology team in Atlanta. He said he thought he would come to Tuscaloosa in July to see me. He said he needed to get out of Atlanta for a weekend and I was the person he wanted to see.

James and I are close in the way of siblings who see each other rarely and know each other deeply. We are four years apart. We grew up in the same house with the same kitchen and the same mother and the same father who worked double shifts and was home for Sunday dinner and not much else. James has been in Atlanta for thirty years. We call on birthdays and holidays and when something happens. When something happens.

I sat in my kitchen with that letter for a long time. Then I called him. He sounded tired in a way that is not sleep tired. I told him to come whenever he was ready. I told him I would cook. He said, I know. That's part of why I want to come.

James said he was coming in July and I have already started thinking about what I will cook. Not a special-occasion meal — nothing that performs — but something that takes time and fills the kitchen and says, without any words at all, that I am glad he is here and I am not afraid to sit with him in whatever this is. This eggplant zucchini bolognese is that dish for me. It is the kind of sauce you make slowly on a Saturday, the kind that gets better the longer it sits, the kind that makes a house smell like someone cares.

Eggplant Zucchini Bolognese

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 50 min | Total Time: 1 hr 10 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb pappardelle or rigatoni pasta
• 1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb), cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup dry red wine (or vegetable broth)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Salt the eggplant. Place diced eggplant in a colander, toss with 1 teaspoon salt, and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out moisture. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Brown the eggplant. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add eggplant in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Sauté the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
4. Add the zucchini. Add diced zucchini to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender with a little color, about 5 minutes.
5. Build the sauce. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan and add tomato paste to the center. Cook the paste, stirring, for 2 minutes until it darkens slightly. Pour in the red wine and stir to combine everything, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer 2 minutes.
6. Simmer low and slow. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, oregano, dried basil, sugar, and the reserved eggplant. Stir well, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick and deeply flavored.
7. Cook the pasta. While the sauce finishes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.
8. Combine and serve. Add drained pasta directly to the sauce and toss to coat, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve topped with torn fresh basil and plenty of Parmesan.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 415 | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 70g | Fiber: 8g | Sodium: 560mg