Pasta With Eggplant Artichokes And Bell Pepper Pasta Con Melanzane Carciofi E Peperoni Food

ANTONIA'S PASTA ALLE MELENZANA (EGGPLANT PASTA)

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 cup of oil and the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and eggplant and cook gently over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until tender. It may be necessary to add more oil as the eggplant soaks the oil up quickly. Towards the end of cooking time, add the whole garlic cloves and half of the basil leaves.
• In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin splits and the tomatoes are softened. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in a mesh colander set over a large bowl. Reserve the cooking liquid.
• When they are cool enough to handle, core the tomatoes and peel off the skin. Using clean hands, squish the tomatoes, pushing the pulp through the sieve into the bowl underneath. At first you will have a watery liquid. Add the tomato liquid to the eggplant and then continue to push the tomato pulp through the sieve, until you have only seeds and hard pulp pieces left. Finally, add the rest of the pulpy liquid to the eggplants and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the sugar and continue to cook for 10 more minutes, until thickened.
• In the meantime, bring the reserved cooking liquid back to a boil, add additional salt, and cook the fettuccine according to directions on the package. Drain well.
• To serve, spoon a third of the eggplant into a bowl and set aside. Toss the pasta in the saute pan with the remaining eggplant and add the packaged mozzarella. Place the mixture in a large serving bowl and top with the reserved eggplant, the fresh mozzarella and the Parmesan. Garnish with the remaining basil leaves and serve hot.

EGGPLANT PASTA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir garlic until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggplant; cook, stirring constantly, until eggplant is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice; cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, about 13 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.
• Pour sauce over pasta.

PASTA WITH EGGPLANT, ARTICHOKES AND BELL PEPPER (PASTA CON MELANZANE, CARCIOFI E PEPERONI)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt in large bowl. Turn eggplant out onto paper towels and let drain 30 minutes. Pat eggplant dry.
• Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat to 350°F. Working in batches, add eggplant to oil; cook until golden, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer to clean paper towels. Reserve 5 tablespoons eggplant frying oil. Toss shallots and whole bell pepper with 3 tablespoons reserved oil on large baking sheet. Roast until shallots are tender, turning occasionally, about 25 minutes. Place shallots and eggplant in large bowl. Continue roasting bell pepper until skin blackens, about 10 minutes. Wrap in plastic bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel, core and seed pepper. Cut into thin strips lengthwise, then cut strips crosswise in half. Add bell pepper strips, olives and garlic to eggplant and shallots.
• Cook artichokes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, turning occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to bowl; cool. Remove leaves from artichokes and reserve for another use. Scoop out chokes. Cut artichoke hearts into 1/3-inch pieces; combine with other vegetables. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return pasta to pot. Add all vegetables and remaining 2 tablespoons reserved eggplant frying oil and toss over medium heat until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates and serve.

ZITI AL MULIGNAN (BAKED PASTA WITH EGGPLANT)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
• In a large pot, boil the water.
• When it boils, add the salt and pasta.
• Stir for thirty seconds.
• Boil the pasta for eight minutes and drain.
• Cut the eggplant into 1 cm cubes.
• In a large bowl, using your hands, toss with the olive oil, garlic, and parmigiano cheese.
• Add salt, pepper, and oregano and toss.
• Grate the mozzarella.
• Toss 2/3 of the mozzarella cheese with the eggplant mixture.
• Reserve the other third.
• Using a spoon, flick bits of the ricotta into the bowl.
• Toss gently with your hands, using a folding technique- start at the bottom and fold it over the top so you don't spread the ricotta too much.
• Oil a 23 cm (9 in) square pan.
• When the pasta is cool enough to handle, add it to the bowl and toss quickly.
• Spread the mixture in the baking pan.
• Cover with the tomato sauce.
• Bang the pan on the counter a few times to get everything to settle and the air bubbles out.
• Cover with the remaining mozzarella.
• Cover LOOSELY with a"tent" of tin foil- do not let the foil touch the food!
• Bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove the tin foil and bake for 10 minutes more.
• Rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

PASTA WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT, PEPPER AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Turn on the broiler and set a rack 6 inches from the heat. Toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and spread it in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil, tossing once halfway through, until the eggplant is golden but not cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the broiler and heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Toss the peppers and garlic with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread on another baking sheet in a single layer. Roast the eggplant, peppers and garlic until they are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Slip the garlic cloves from their peels and mash them in a small bowl with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons oil, the vinegar and the pepper flakes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss with the vegetables, the mashed garlic, the ricotta and the herbs. Add more salt and vinegar to taste.

PASTA ALLA NORMA (EGGPLANT PASTA)

Steps:

• Wash eggplants, cut off the ends, and cut into 1/3-inch slices. Layer eggplant slices in a large bowl, sprinkling coarse salt over each layer. Let sit for at least 2 hours to draw out any bitterness.
• In the meantime, prepare the tomato sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook garlic until browned, about 2 minutes. Remove garlic. Add peeled tomatoes and bring to a boil; cook until tomatoes start breaking down, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2/3 of the basil and simmer for another 3 minutes.
• Rinse eggplant slices under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry the eggplant slices in batches until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Cut into small cubes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Mix eggplant pieces into the tomato sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. Stir in ricotta and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, and remaining basil. Mix in drained spaghetti and cook until warm, about 3 minutes.

EGGPLANT AND ROASTED-PEPPER PASTA

Steps:

• Place peppers directly over a gas flame and cook, turning occasionally, until charred all over, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; cover with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle. Rub off charred skin with a paper towel; discard. Remove and discard seeds. Cut peppers into 1/4-inch strips.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/3 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add eggplants, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Add 1/3 cup water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed, until eggplants are very tender but still hold shape, 10 minutes. Stir in oregano; cook 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl; add peppers, remaining 1/3 cup oil, vinegar, parsley, and cheese. Let stand while cooking pasta.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta; cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup liquid, then drain. Toss pasta with eggplant mixture until fully coated (add pasta water if needed to moisten, 1/4 cup at a time). Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with parsley leaves, and serve.

ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS, EGGPLANT AND ROASTED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Halve the zucchini lengthwise. Using a vegetable / potato peeler, peel long thin strands of zucchini (so that they somewhat resemble fettuccine). If desired, allow to sit at room temperature, uncovered, for a couple of hours -- this improves the texture of the zucchini.
• TO COOK THE ZUCCHINI:.
• Heat 4 cups of (salted) water to boiling. Cook the zucchini strands in the boiling water for one to two minutes, and then immediately rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process.
• TO COOK THE OTHER VEGETABLES:.
• Put the mushrooms in a microwave-safe dish and cook on high until the mushrooms are soft, about five minutes. Repeat with the eggplant, adding it to the mushrooms so that it cooks in the mushroom's juices. Add the roasted peppers to the vegetables and microwave for one minute.
• In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with the rest of the vegetables and 3/4 c pasta sauce. Spoon onto serving plates and top with the remaining 1/4 c sauce.