Pasta with eggplant sauce "No idea"

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 eggplant(s)
• 2 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 carrots
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• some vegetables as desired, such as celery, celery sticks, peppers, parsnips,
• 1 shot of white wine
• ½ tsp, pressed black cumin Nigella
• 500 g tomatoes, pureed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp vegetable stock powder
• 250 ml water, boiling
• 1 jar chickpeas
• 500g orecchiette
• n. B. Herbs, Italian , and spices, e.g. oregano, rosemary, chili
• e.g. Parmesan
• Fat for frying

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 25 minutes

First, dice the eggplants into small cubes (approx. 7-10 mm) and toss with coarse salt, then set aside for 15-20 minutes. Dice the onions, carrots, garlic, and any other vegetables, and set aside. Dissolve the vegetable stock powder in boiling water and set aside. Sauté the onions with the cooking fat in a large pot. After about 2 minutes, add the other firm root vegetables. Rinse the eggplants, squeeze out the water, and add them to the pot. Sauté well for about 3-5 minutes over medium heat, then deglaze with the wine. Add the black cumin seeds, simmer briefly, add the tomatoes, and stir well. Add the oregano, rosemary, chili (hot or mild), and bay leaves, and stir again. Then add the chickpeas. When everything is simmering again, add the orecchiette. Now press the garlic clove into the sauce. Fill the whole thing with hot vegetable broth until the orecchiette are just covered. Cook until the pasta is tender, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking together. If too much of the sauce has evaporated, add a little more hot water. The “I don’t know pasta” should not be swimming in the sauce at the end, but rather have absorbed the liquid without being too dry. A fork should be enough to eat. Serve with olive oil and Parmesan cheese – for the vegan version, use a vegan cheese substitute. Notes: The Pasta e Ceci recipe follows a somewhat stew-like logic. There’s really little you can do wrong. The quantities can also be varied. It’s usually a poor man’s meal, where you use up leftover ingredients. In Italy, this results in pizza or “I don’t know pasta.” It’s actually my favorite recipe and I always cook it when family, friends, etc., have “no idea” what I should cook.