Burnt Eggplant Butter On Tomato Toasts Food

BAKED PASTA WITH TOMATOES AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Make sure your oven is clean!) Place three (6-inch) gratin dishes on a sheet pan and set aside.
• Boil a large pot of water, add a tablespoon of salt, and add the pasta. If you're using one type of pasta, cook it for 1 to 2 minutes less than the directions on the package. If you're using two kinds of pasta, start with the one that cooks longest and add the second later so they finish at the same time. You want the pasta to be quite al dente. Drain.
• Pour the Tomato and Eggplant Soup into a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, the mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper and toss well. Divide the mixture evenly among the three gratin dishes, dot the tops with the butter, and bake for 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the pasta begins to brown. Sprinkle each dish with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Parmesan, bake for another 4 minutes, and serve hot.
• Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a medium (10 to 11-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the eggplant and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add a little more olive oil if the eggplant is sticking.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, add the onions and fennel, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring often. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, fennel seeds, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Pour the can of whole tomatoes, including the liquid, into a food processor and pulse until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes and the liquid to the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

BURNT EGGPLANT BUTTER ON TOMATO TOASTS

Steps:

• You need to blacken and cook the eggplant until it collapses, as you would for baba ganoush. The best result comes from doing this over the smoldering coals of a barbecue, but you can also do it over an open flame if you have a gas stove: set the eggplant directly over a medium flame and keep turning it with your tongs every 5 minutes-it should take about 10-15 minutes. Alternatively, you can roast it in a 425°F oven or under a hot broiler for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
• When the eggplant is charred on the outside and really soft inside, set it aside on a plate until it is just cool enough to handle. Pour off the liquid that will have come out of the eggplant into a bowl, then use your fingers to peel off the skin - don't worry if some of it doesn't come off, it will only add to the flavor. Add the eggplant flesh to the bowl containing the liquid and mash with a fork. While it is still warm, whisk in the butter with the fork and add some salt and pepper, then taste - it should be well seasoned and taste of comfort, like baba ganoush's Ukrainian third cousin.
• Grill your slices of bread on a griddle pan (or toast them), then rub first with the garlic, followed by the tomatoes - as you would for Spanish pan con tomate. Now spoon some of the eggplant butter on top. Garnish with some finely chopped soft herbs, if you like, and serve.
• If there is any eggplant butter leftover, it will keep for up to a week in the fridge.

EGGPLANT AND TOMATO TOASTS

Steps:

• 1 Place a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and pierce the skin with a fork two or three times to allow steam to escape. Bake 60 minutes or until soft. Let cool slightly. 2 Remove the eggplant from the oven. Let cool a little, then remove the eggplant stem and cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Place it in a colander to drain and cool completely. 3 Scoop out the eggplant flesh and discard the skin. Mash it to a paste with a fork or masher or puree it in a food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste.4 Combine the tomato with the basil and oil, and add a little salt and pepper. 5 Place a barbecue grill or broiler rack about 5 inches away from the heat source. Preheat the grill or broiler. Toast the bread on one side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the bread and toast the other side, about 2 minutes. Rub the slices with the garlic. Spread the toast with the eggplant puree. Top with the chopped tomato mixture and the ricotta salata. Serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.