Eggplant Tomato Ravioli

Many of my blog followers may agree, Rachel Ray has proven that you can put together a delicious meal in 30 minutes. I have been following her recipes and tips for a long time and most of my own weekly recipes that I use are on our table in 30 minutes. This recipe derived from one of Rachel Ray’s recipes called Wild Mushroom Ravioli with Eggplant and Goat Cheese from 2002.  Back then, I made a few adjustments to my own taste preferences and used ingredients that I usually keep in my house and changed the name, but wanted to give credit to Rachel Ray for her inspiration! So, here is my version… Eggplant Tomato Ravioli!

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (peeled and cubed)

2-3 vine ripen tomatoes (diced) OR 1 pint of cherry tomatoes (cut in half)

1 lbs cheese ravioli (or your own variety preference)

1 tsp minced garlic

Shredded mozzarella (optional)

2-3 tbsp olive oil

Basil (fresh or dried)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

1. Peel eggplant and cut into cubes.
2. Add olive oil (approx. 2 -3 tbsp)  to sauté pan and add eggplant, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for approx. 5 minutes and continue to stir. (Tip: Add 1/8-1/4 cup of water if eggplant is browning too quickly.)
3. In a separate pan, boil water and cook the ravioli according to the package.
4. While the ravioli is cooking, add the cut tomatoes into the sauté pan with the eggplant and sauté (approx. 6-7 minutes).
5. Drain ravioli and add the ravioli to the pan with eggplant and tomato. Add basil, salt and pepper and mix. Add shredded mozzarella to the pan or top the pasta dish(optional).