Gianni V's Pasta Pomodoro e Melanzane (Tomato & Eggplant) Recipe
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Category: |
Category: |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed (or more to taste)
1 12-oz. eggplant (unpeeled), cubed
1/2 tsp. salt (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional. This is mildly spicy, 2 tsp. is spicy, 3 tsp. is hot)
2 T tomato paste
2 pounds ripe tomatoes (organic farmer's market or homegrown tomatoes strongly recommended)
12 basil leaves, torn
1 pound pasta (fettuccini or bucatini, fresh is best)
1/2 c. freshly grated parmigiano or pecorino Romano cheese
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Directions: |
Directions:There are 3 pots or pans involved in this, so read through before starting.
Add 2 T of salt to 5 quarts of water in a large pasta pot and bring to a boil.
Fill another medium pan halfway with water and bring to a boil
Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large deep-sided saute pan over medium-low heat.
Add crushed garlic and red pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly (don't overcook).
Add eggplant cubes and stir in salt and black pepper. Partially cover and cook for 25 minutes until eggplant is soft.
While the eggplant cooks score the tomatoes with a sharp knife and drop into the medium pot of boiling water. Cook for 1 minute. Remove and run under cold water as you rub off the peels.
Core and chop the tomatoes into small chunks.
When the eggplant is soft after 20-25 minutes, use a fork to crush the eggplant in the pan to a chunky consistency.
Stir in tomato paste for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes to the eggplant and increase the heat to medium. Cook 10-20 minutes until the sauce is thick (the time will depend on how juicy your tomatoes are.)
Stir in most of the basil and a generous portion of the cheese (keep some for adding at the table). Keep warm while you cook the pasta.
Put the pasta in the boiling water and cook al dente according to directions.
Drain and add to the eggplant/tomato pan along with 1/2 cut of pasta water and stir with two forks to cover the pasta thoroughly.
Taste and add more salt and pepper to if needed. (I tend to under salt so others can decide how much salt they want.)
Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle some cheese and chopped basil over the top. |
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Number Of
Servings: |
Number Of
Servings:4 |
Preparation
Time: |
Preparation
Time:1 hour |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Although this may seem complicated, it makes one of the best sauces I've ever had and is the closest to what I remember from one of our favorite family-run restaurants in Rome. The eggplant adds wonderful texture and flavor to a basic tomato sauce. I adapted this from a recipe in the Washington Post that was itself adapted from a recipe in "Rustico," by Micol Negrin. The original recipe calls for 1 tsp. of minced fresh oregano, which I didn't like.
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