Bucatini with Eggplant and Fresh Tomatoes

I have so much fresh tomatoes from my backyard I've been snacking on them everyday. They are very sweet and yummy sprinkled with a little sea salt and of course they are excellent in pasta dishes. There is no comparison in flavor with the canned stuff. 

I have a package of bucatini, a thick pasta similar to spaghetti but with a hole running through the middle like a very thin long macaroni. The noodles take about 10 minutes to cook and according to some recipe sources, the best sauce is a simple tomato and pancetta. I added an Asian eggplant to the dish. The sweetness from the tomatoes and the eggplant makes this simple sauce outstanding.

Bucatini with Eggplant and Tomatoes

4 ounces bucatini or spaghetti

1 ounce pancetta or unsmoked bacon, diced

½ cup chopped onion

1 Asian eggplant, peeled and cubed

4 large fresh tomatoes, peeled and cubed

sea salt to taste

a pinch of red pepper flakes 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley

coarsely grated Romano cheese

• Cook pasta according to package directions. 
• In a large skillet, brown the pancetta or bacon. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add eggplant and cook until both onion and eggplant are soft. Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt; cook for 3 minutes. Turn heat off and add cooked and drained noodles. Sprinkle with parsley and dish up. Top with cheese.