Eggplant Pasta Soup With Feta Cheese and Warm Olive Toasts

Just Good! A nice Mediterranean flavor, not too hard to make and excellent soup. I serve this with my Garlic Feta Toasts With a Warm Olive Spread which on their own are wonderful. I love eggplant and found this soup - which is hearty and just one of my favorites.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 4-6 Bowls

Ingredients

• 2  medium eggplants, peeled and diced (about 1 1/4-1 1/2 lbs)
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1  cup  ditalini
• 2  large celery ribs, finely diced (save the celery leaves and dice fine)
• 1  large onion, fine chopped chopped
• 2  teaspoons  minced garlic
• 3  anchovies, fine chopped and mashed (I use a fork to mash them up)
• 5  cups vegetable broth
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, fine chopped
• 2  teaspoons  dried Italian seasoning
• 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
•  salt (go easy)
•  pepper

• Feta Cheese and Warm Olive Toasts

•  cheese and  olive spread (see Garlic Feta Toasts With a Warm Olive Spread)

Directions

1. Base -- In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and bring to medium heat. Add in onion, garlic and celery and saute for 5 minutes until the onion becomes transparent and the vegetables are tender. Add in the anchovies and cook another minute.
2. Eggplant -- Add the eggplant and stir until well combined. Then add the broth, tomatoes, seasoning (keep the parsley out until the end), and bring to a boil Then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the eggplant is tender, about 30-40 minutes.
3. Pasta -- Add in the ditalini pasta (you can also use any small cut pasta) and cook until tender. It only takes 5-7 minutes. Taste for any additional seasoning and add in the parsley.
4. Serve -- Serve a nice big bowl and my Recipe #407765. Enjoy a nice simple soup.