Leftover lamb pasta sauce with eggplant

Use up some leftover lamb in this tasty caponata-based sauce to go with pasta.

📝 Ingredients

• 1/2 onion (large or 1 small )
• 10 oz eggplant (aubergine)
• 4 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• 1 clove garlic (large)
• 6 oz leftover roast lamb (trimmed and diced small)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 tbsp fresh mint (chopped)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (or dark chocolate chips, optional)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp pitted green olives (roughly chopped (or use slices))

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Dice the onion and eggplant into relatively small dice.
2. 2Warm half the oil in a medium skillet/frying pan and add the onion and eggplant. Cook, stirring regularly, until they are both softening. Add a little more oil at a time as needed to avoid sticking (you just don't want all at once or just a few pieces of eggplant will absorb it all).
3. 3Once the eggplant and onion are soft, finely chop the garlic and add to the pan. Stir and cook for a couple minutes. Add the leftover lamb and cook a minute, stirring regularly, until it browns.
4. 4Add the remaining ingredients to the pan (parsley, mint, chocolate/cocoa if using, oregano, cinnamon, tomatoes and olives). Mix well, bring to a simmer and cook over a low heat for around 10 minutes to bring the flavors together. Serve over pasta of your choice (recommend eg penne, farfalle).