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Spiced Lamb and Eggplant Ditalini Pasta

I hadn’t cooked lamb meat in a while, and I had a strong craving to have it when I noticed it at the food market a couple of weeks back. I also had an eggplant lying in the fridge, so I decided to put together an innovative pasta dish.
Lamb and eggplant are not a conventional combination, as far as I know, but it turned out better than I expected. Try this recipe at home, and let me know if it’s really as good as I assume.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 410 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup ditalini pasta
  • ½ lb ground lamb
  • 1 medium-sized eggplant, diced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook the ditalini pasta in a pot of salted boiling water, drain, and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, add a drizzle of olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until translucent.
  • Add the ground lamb to the skillet, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Cook until the lamb is browned and cooked through.
  • Stir in the diced eggplant and cook for a few minutes until softened.
  • Add the tomato paste, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Mix everything together, allowing the spices to coat the lamb and eggplant.
  • Toss in the diced tomatoes and carefully pour in the chicken or vegetable broth.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for another 10-15 minutes so that the flavors meld together.
  • Add the cooked ditalini pasta to the skillet and fold to ensure that it is evenly coated with the sauce.
  • Serve the spiced lamb and eggplant ditalini pasta in individual bowls, topping each serving with crumbled feta cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

Nutritional Value (per serving):
Total Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 450mg | Total Carbohydrates: 44g | Dietary Fiber: 6g | Sugars: 9g | Protein: 22g