Pasta with Eggplant, Sausage and Goat Cheese

     I have been missing Italian food.  One of my favorite dishes used to be eggplant Pamesan.  After some thought I came up with an idea of how I could make it for myself.  I hope you enjoy it as much as my husband and I did.

                                             Pasta with Eggplant, Sausage and Goat Cheese

     Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Wash a small eggplant and cut off both ends.  Slice the eggplant in thin slices (1/8 to 1/4 in thick).  Dip each slice into a bowl with 2 eggs that have been whipped and then dip onto a plate with 1 3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs or seasoned bread crumbs.  Bake in a single layer on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable spray for 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven, turn the slices over and return to the oven bake for 5 minutes longer.  Remove from the oven.  Stack on a plate and place foil over the top so they will stay warm while you prepare the remainder of the dinner.
     Sauce:
8 oz. turkey sausage
2 tblsp. olive oil
1 box of fresh mushrooms
1 tblsp. stick margarine
3 tblsp. Marsala wine
2 ea. 11 oz. cans of tomato soup plus one can of water
4 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh basil of 2 tsp dried basil
2 cloves garlic
1 tblsp. dried onion
1 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup goat cheese

     In a frying pan that has been sprayed with vegetable spray, add the olive oil and turkey sausage.  Break up the sausage and cook until no longer pink.  Drain on a plate with a paper towel and set aside.
     In the same frying pan, add the washed and sliced mushrooms and the stick margarine.  Stir the mushrooms periodically until they are browned.  Turn off the flame.  Add the wine and turn the flame back on and stir periodically until the wine is gone.
     In a separate bowl mix the soup, water, fresh basil, sausage, garlic, dried onion, oregano, salt and pepper.  Pour this into the frying pan with the mushrooms and mix.  Allow to simmer about 10 minutes for the flavors to come together.

Pasta
     Cook 6 oz. of angel hair pasta according to package directions.  You can change this to whatever type of pasta you prefer.

     To serve:  On four dinner plates or pasta bowls divide the pasta, spoon the sauce over or mix the sauce in, whichever you prefer, arrange the eggplant slices arround the top and sprinkle with goat cheese.
     Next week in honor of the Super Bowl coming up, I wanted to make another pizza.  This time I figured out how to make tomato based pizza sauce and I'm anxious to share the recipe.  Till next time.