I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti

Giulia Melucci, author of I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti (a memoir of good food and bad boyfriends), is not just an amazing writer and amazing cook, she is an amazing person.

If you have not read the book, I suggest you go on Amazon immediately or head to your local bookstore. Whether you are male or female, heartbreak is universal, so I recommend this book to anyone, especially a foodie!

Why is she an amazing person? I had emailed her last week and she responded within 24 hours with words that were kind, supportive, and truly funny! I am meeting her next week at a book signing and cooking demo and look forward to writing more about my interaction with her and posting some photos from the special event.

In the meantime, I am making her recipes! And wow, are they fantastic! This weekend I made an adapted version of a delicious pasta sauce called Lachlan's Rigatoni with Eggplant. He was a bad boyfriend but a good cook. Enjoy!

Lachlan's Rigatoni with Eggplant (adapted from Giulia Melucci's ex-boyfriend)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

pinch of hot red pepper flakes

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 large (28 ounce can) crushed tomatoes (I used Red Pack's Italian style)

1/4 cup red wine

1 tablespoon sugar (tomatoes, wine, and eggplant are acidic, do not omit this!)

1 pound rigatoni (I used rotelli primavera to be healthier), cooked al dente

freshly grated Romano cheese

Directions:

1) Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and red pepper and saute until onion is translucent.

2) Add the eggplant and 1 teaspoon salt and cook for 20 minutes, allowing the eggplant to get a little brown.

3) Add crushed tomatoes, wine, sugar, and the remaining salt. Place lid half open on the pot and simmer for 1 hour.

4) Serve over hot, cooked pasta with grated cheese on top.