Bucatini With Eggplant Aubergine Food

PASTA ALLA NORMA (EGGPLANT PASTA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan). Line a tray with baking / parchment paper.
• Toss eggplant with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the tray and roast for 20 minutes.
• Flip, then roast for a further 5 minutes. Cool on tray (this helps the eggplant hold its shape when tossing).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Start cooking the pasta a couple of minutes after you start making the sauce (next section), until al dente or to your liking.
• Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 20 seconds until golden, then add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and cooked through.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add wine, if using. Let it simmer, scraping the base of the pan to deglaze, until the wine mostly evaporates.
• Add tomato passata. Now pour the water into the passata bottle, screw on the lid, shake, and pour that in too (waste nothing!)
• Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.
• Stir in eggplant, then add cooked and drained pasta. GENTLY toss until pasta is coated in the sauce (so the eggplant doesn't turn into complete mush!).
• Serve immediately, garnished with a good pinch of fresh basil and parmesan.

SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATO AND AUBERGINE (EGGPLANT) SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut aubergine into cubes and sprinkle with salt.
• Drain and pat dry after 15-20 mins Heat oil for frying aubergine in a frying pan and shallow fry till golden brown Drain and set aside Heat virgin olive oil in a pan, add garlic, chilli flakes or chillies and cook for a minute or till garlic just begins to turn colour.
• Mix in olives, capers, tomatoes, puree and dried seasoning or fresh herbs Season with salt and pepper to taste Cover pan and cook sauce on low heat for 30-35 minutes.
• or till tomatoes are cooked through and sauce has thickened Add fried aubergine cubes and remove from heat.
• Cook spaghetti according to packet instructions.
• Drain and add spaghetti to sauce Add basil leaves and toss pasta in sauce till well coated Serve immediately with grated Parmesan on the side.

BUCATINI WITH EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in onion. Cook until softening and add garlic. When onion begins to turn golden, stir in eggplant and cook for five minutes, stirring. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add tomatoes, olives and basil and simmer over medium heat until tomatoes soften.
• Cook bucatini in rapidly boiling, salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well in colander.
• Put pasta in serving bowl. Add the eggplant mixture. Toss and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

RIGATONI WITH BEEF AND EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Place eggplant in colander and weight down with plate to drain juices.
• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add onions and mushrooms, cook, stirring frequently until softened.
• Add ground beef, breaking up with spoon; cook until browned.
• Drain well, then transfer to bowl.
• Add eggplant and broth to same skillet; cover and cook 5 minutes.
• Uncover; add garlic, salt, thyme and red pepper; cook 2 minutes.
• Stir in vinegar.
• Reduce heat to medium; add tomatoes and beef mixture, breaking up tomatoes with spoon.
• Cover, simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors.
• Toss with rigatoni and parsley.

BUCATINI, AND A SAUSAGE-AND-EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel and cut the eggplant into ¾ inch cubes, put the pieces in a colander, sprinkle them well with salt, and let them sit for a ½ hour in the sink, while the salt draws out the bitter juices. Rinse and pat them dry.
• Set pasta water to heat, salt it when it boils, and cook the bucatini.
• While doing this, cut the sausage into bite size pieces, add the eggplant and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and sauté the mixture until the sausage begins to brown and the eggplant has wilted.
• Add the tomatoes, thyme, basil and continue cooking covered for about 10 minutes, adding a little more liquid if the sauce looks like it's drying out. When the pasta is done, season it with the sauce and serve it with the cheese on the side.