Linguine with Red Wine/Sausage sauce

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 to 6 Japanese eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cloves minced garlic
1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1/3 cup dry red wine (preferably italian)
1 can tomato sauce
3 cans roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
16 ounces linguine pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the eggplant and toss to coat in the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute the eggplant until it is golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium. Add half of the garlic and saute until it is tender, about 2 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant mixture to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining eggplant and garlic.

2. Add the sausage and wine to the same frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the wine evaporates and the sausage is brown, breaking the sausage into pieces with the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Add the eggplant, tomato sauce, san marzano tomatoes and crushed red pepper to the sausage mixture. Continue cooking over medium heat for 6-8 minutes longer. Lower heat.

3. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander and return to the saucepan. Add the cup of parmigiano-reggiano to the pasta. Stir. Combine sausage sauce and pasta.

Serves 4-6 people