Receta Pasta with Eggplant, Tomato, and Red Chili Pepper
This is a great recipe that I have adapted from the awesome Marcella Hazan. Everyone loves it (even if you don't love eggplant)! Try munching on a couple of the eggplant cubes when they are fresh out of the pan. They put french fries to shame!
Tiempo de Prep: | Italian |
Tiempo para Cocinar: | Raciónes: 4 |
Va Bien Con: italian bread
Wine and Drink Pairings: zinfandel, chianti
Ingredientes
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Direcciones
- Trim the eggplant. If skin is thick, peel it. Cut lengthwise into 3/8 in thick slices. Stand the eggplant and salt on both sides--you can use the inside of a pasta colander, pasta pot, or something else--or just rest it on paper towels. Let the eggplant sweat for about 30 minutes to remove bitterness. Pat dry.
- Pour 1 1/2 inches of cooking oil into a pot deep enough to keep oil from splattering. Once oil is hot,put in as many slices of eggplant as you can fit. Fry on one side till golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Then turn and brown other side. Remove to paper towels and repeat with remaining Eggplant. (If the Eggplant needs to be chopped or sliced, as in this dish, I sometimes cut before frying to make it easier to fit more eggplant into the pan at once. This also makes turning easier. I then remove with a slotted spoon instead of tongs.)
- When eggplant is cooling, put the olive oil and garlic in a sauce pan on medium. Cook and stir until garlic becomes translucent. Add the tomatoes, parsley, chili pepper and salt, and stir. Adjust head to simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
- Cut the eggplant into slivers or cubes (if you didn't before frying) about 1/2 inch wide or cubed. Add to sauce and cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and correct for salt and red pepper.
- While preparing sauce, boil pasta.
- Combine sauce and pasta, stir, and serve immediately with fresh, crusty Italian bread!
- Note: You can fry the eggplant well in advance and refrigerate if you like (even a day or two in advance is OK).