Cooking in the summer can be a chore. Not to mention doing dishes.

One pot meals that feature veggies, carbs, and proteins are a must. This is one of those dishes! It came to be by chance, when one night I had very little on hand, and I had no idea what to make for dinner. I had one lonesome eggplant, some ground pork, and pasta (always). The next thing I know, this dish is on the Marcantoni Family Favorites List.

To begin, trim the ends off a medium sized eggplant and cut it into cubes. Set aside.

Finely chop two shallots and sauté in a good drizzle of olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. When the shallot softens, add about one pound ground pork and brown completely. Remember to break the pork up as it browns to prevent large chunks.

Add one minced garlic clove and stir well. Then season with salt and pepper. Cook another minute or two and add the cubed eggplant with 3/4c white wine. Give a good stir and partially cover the pan with a lid. Allow the wine to reduce somewhat and the eggplant to become soft..about 10 to 15 minutes. (The eggplant is cooked when it feels soft and breaks apart when pushed with a wooden spoon). Adjust seasoning as needed. Finally add 1/4c pitted oil- cured olives (always have some on hand).

Give a good stir and remove from heat. Finish it off with 1 and 1/2c grated Parmigiano. Serve over rigatoni, penne, or farfalle…remember to save some of the cooking water to thin out the sauce when adding the pasta.

To note: I have substituted the ground pork with ground turkey breast or ground sausage….again..whatever I have on hand. It never disappoints!

Buon appetito!