ONCE UPON A TIME IN ITALY

While winding our way down through the hilly terrain of Monte (mountain) Grappa (as in the Italian brandy) on our way back from Abano Terme in Veneto, we stopped to have lunch at a small, out of the way eatery whose name I don't remember. Actually it may not have had one! It doesn't matter, the food was memorable enough. Instead of bread, we were handed baskets of fried polenta to stave off hunger, followed by a hearty pasta made with ground meat and eggplant in a creamy blush sauce. I tried replicating it at home, and my husband says I came pretty close. So here you have it...

PASTA MONTE GRAPPA

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium or 2 small eggplant (preferably the Graffiti variety), 8-10 ounces, cubed 1/2-inch

Pinch red pepper flakes or to taste

1 small onion, thinly sliced across

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 pound 80% lean ground beef

2 cups tomato passato or canned plum tomatoes puréed with their juices

3/4 cup heavy cream of half/half

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more to pass

8-10 ounces "short cut" pasta

Salt and pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet on medium. Add eggplant, pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Sauté until eggplant is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. At first the eggplant will soak up all the oil but eventually release some moisture as it softens. Lower the heat, if necessary, to prevent the eggplant from burning. Remove the eggplant from the skillet and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet along with the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook a couple minutes until the onion begins to soften. Add the beef and cook, covered, on low, until no longer pink.

Add the tomato, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook on low, partially covered, 15-20 minutes. Add the cream or half/half and stir to mix. Return the eggplant to the skillet and continue to cook until eggplant is heated throughout. Taste for seasoning.

Meanwhile cook pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Scoop out a cup of pasta water before draining. Add the pasta to the skillet, along with the 1/2 cup cheese and some of the reserved pasta water, to add moisture and thin down the sauce, if needed. Serve topped with additional cheese to taste. Serves 3-4.

Tips:

• Passata is tomato purée that has been strained to remove the seeds.

• Short cut pasta ( vs long cut like spaghetti, linguine etc.) is better for capturing hearty sauces made with chunky vegetables. I used Campanelle for this photo, but you can substitute Farfalle, Penne, Orecchiette etc.