Penne pasta with eggplant and sweet sausage

Ingredients:

• 1 medium eggplant
• 2 tbsp olive oil + extra for serving
• 450 g raw Italian sweet sausage with fennel
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery from the middle of a bunch, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 can (900 g) of canned chopped tomatoes
• A few fresh basil leaves, torn
• Chicken broth, optional
• 450 g penne pasta (whole grain is fine)
• Grated Parmesan

Preparation:

1. Peel half an eggplant and cut into small pieces. Sprinkle the eggplants with salt and let them sit on paper towels for a few minutes to remove excess liquid.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Crumble the sausage and brown it. Add garlic, celery, and onion to the sausage. Pat the eggplant dry and add it to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables, covered, until tender, 6-8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil. Bring the sauce to a simmer and simmer until the flavors meld.
3. If making ahead, cool the sauce and store in the refrigerator. Reheat the sauce on the stovetop over medium heat. If it's too thick, add a little water or chicken broth.
4. Before serving, bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water and cook the pasta until al dente. Add about 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the sauce.
5. Drain and toss the pasta with the sauce. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.