Cheesy Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes

I have taken one eggplant and divided into three for three separate meals.  That was not my intention.  The first night, I used it, I realized that in the dish, I was making, there was no reason to use that much eggplant. It was cut up and part of a whole where it played a minor part.

That left me with 2/3 of an eggplant.  The second time, I made it for people who didn't love it.  They would eat it but not devour it so I used only 1/3 of the eggplant.  That left me with a third sitting around.  I decided to throw it in my paste, tonight.  The truth is that when you add eggplant to a dish like pasta or rice, it gets lost in the mix and if you like the vegetable, it is a loss.

Next time, I would make a creamier sauce.  Tonight, the sauce was only a combination of the cheese and liquid from the tomatoes.  It needed some cream or milk and flour.

Cheesy Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil  (additional oil if needed -eggplant absorbs it)
1/3 eggplant, cubed
10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
8 ounces pasta , cooked
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium skillet, heat olive oil and cook eggplant chunks until lightly browned.
Add tomato halves to skillet and cook for 4 or 5 minutes until you can see tomatoes visibly changing.
Add Italian seasoning and pepper.
Mix well and add pasta.
Sprinkle cheese on top of casserole. I shred it right onto pasta mixture.
Put into a 1 or 2 quart casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until cheese melts and lightly browns.

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