Every year my husband Scott grows this beautiful heirloom round Italian eggplant for me.  The blossoms are so pretty it’s all I can do to keep from picking them. It’s so much fun to gather food from the garden and make a meal.  The  farmstead pork was purchased at our local Farmers Market, and also the red onions, (ours ran out long ago).  Everything else we grew.

Italian Garden Lunch for Two

• 1 medium round Italian eggplant
• 1 large or two small bell peppers
• 1/3 small red onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 8-10 Basil leaves
• 1 inch of oregano, levees only
• 1/4 cup home-made tomato paste  *1st of the Season Tomato Paste.
• 1/2 lb. ground farmstead pork
• bacon fat or olive oil for frying
• fresh ground pepper & unrefined sea salt
• fresh mozzarella cheese

Slice eggplant 1/4 inch thick.  Heat fat or oil on medium-low.  Add eggplant slices, salt lightly.  Fry in batches, do not crowd.  When browned as shown, remove and drain on paper towels. Chop onions and bell peppers.  Sauté in fat or oil, separately, and remove.  Fry the ground pork.  When almost finished add the peppers, onions, tomato sauce, chopped basil, garlic, and oregano.  Stir in and simmer a few minutes . Place eggplant on 2 plates.  Cover with meat and sauce mixture.  Top with curls of mozzarella cheese, I use a vegetable peeler to make them.  We add our own salt and pepper at the table.  Enjoy outside in your garden!

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