Fusilli With Grilled Eggplant And Fresh Tomatoes Food

EGGPLANT WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Trim off each end of eggplant. Cut eggplant lengthwise in half. Place each half, cut side down, on flat surface and cut crosswise into half-moon shapes, each about one-third-inch thick. There should be a total of about 34 slices.
• Trim off ends of tomatoes and cut away the cores. Cut tomatoes crosswise into slices, each about one-inch thick. There should be about 32 pieces. Alternate tomato slices with eggplant slices and arrange them compactly in a baking dish.
• Combine garlic, rosemary and oregano and sprinkle over layered eggplant. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dribble oil over all.
• Place dish in the oven and bake 30 minutes. Baste the layered eggplant with any juices that have accumulated around it. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

FUSILLI WITH TOMATO PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toast the almonds in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until lightly browned and starting to crackle, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor; reserve the skillet. Add the basil and garlic to the food processor, season with salt and pepper and pulse until finely chopped. Add the tomatoes, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and process until mostly smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the Parmesan.
• Salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1/3 cup cooking water, then drain. Add the pasta to the bowl with the pesto and toss well to coat, adding splashes of the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen. Season with salt and pepper.
• While the pasta cooks, cook the bacon in the reserved skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the panko and continue to cook, stirring, until golden and crisp, 1 more minute. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the bacon-panko mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan and sliced basil.

FUSILLI ALLA CAPRESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

FUSILLI WITH TOMATOES, EGGPLANT AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant and sprinkle with salt. Leave them for 30 minutes, then pat them dry with paper towels.
• Preheat grill or broiler. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle them with garlic. Grill them until tender and set aside. When the eggplant has cooled, chop it into half-inch pieces.
• Meanwhile, bring six quarts salted water to a rolling boil and add the fusilli. Cook until al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, chop the oregano and saute it in the remaining olive oil for one to two minutes. Add the olives, tomatoes and eggplant and heat them through.
• Drain the fusilli. Put the sauce in a heated serving bowl and add the pasta. Toss well and add the pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese should be passed separately.

FUSILLI WITH FRESH POMODORO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the packaging suggests, about 8 minutes. Drain well, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the flesh of the tomatoes, stopping when you are left with just the skin. Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes, whole basil and 3/4 teaspoon salt to the hot oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove the garlic and basil stems from the pot and stir in the ricotta. Add the pasta followed by the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir to combine and coat everything in the sauce.
• Cook for another 2 minutes to finish cooking the pasta and thicken the sauce slightly, adding pasta water if the sauce ever looks too dry. Stir in the chopped basil and serve topped with additional ricotta and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

SAUSAGE AND EGGPLANT FUSILLI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for about 8 minutes, or 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
• Meanwhile, toss the eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in a colander; allow to sit for 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then squeeze out the excess moisture. Dry well on a paper towel-lined tray.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large straight-sided pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Push the sausage off to one side, add the eggplant and cook without stirring for about 3 minutes. Stir together the eggplant and sausage and continue to cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the shallots and garlic; cook for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the reserved pasta water, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the tomatoes and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring often and breaking up the tomatoes.
• Add the pasta to the sauce and sprinkle the Parmesan and provolone on the bare pasta. Using two wooden spoons, toss to combine until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy and coats the pasta.