Roasted Aubergine Tomato Basil Pasta Food

PASTA WITH AUBERGINE & TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Pick the basil leaves and finely chop the stalks. Trim and cut the aubergine into 2cm slices.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and sweat the onion, garlic and basil stalks for 7 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, season well and bring to a steady simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fry the aubergine in the remaining oil until golden, then stir into the tomato sauce with most of the basil leaves.
• Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain, then stir through the sauce.
• Divide between plates and crumble over some ricotta and scatter over the reserved basil leaves before serving.

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.

FRESH BASIL PASTA WITH EGGPLANT AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Make the pasta: Whisk both flours, the basil, both cheeses and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, eggs and olive oil in a separate bowl, then pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough comes together. Knead the dough on a floured surface with floured hands until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed so the dough is soft but not sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap; let rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Cut the dough into quarters. Working with one piece at a time (keep the rest wrapped in plastic), roll the dough through a pasta machine on the thickest setting. Continue rolling the dough through progressively thinner settings, dusting with flour as needed, until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Using a knife, cut the sheet of dough into 4-by-1/4-inch noodles. Dust the noodles with more flour, then scatter on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the pasta with a kitchen towel and set aside until ready to cook or refrigerate up to 4 hours.
• Make the sauce: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss the eggplant, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until tender and browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with the garlic and red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is tender and golden, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, then add 1 cup water to the empty can and add to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the chopped basil and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it floats to the top and is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water; drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the sauce and cook over medium heat, stirring, until coated, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, three-quarters of the eggplant, the mozzarella and 1/4 cup torn basil. Add the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen. Transfer to a large shallow bowl. Top with the remaining eggplant and 1/4 cup torn basil; sprinkle with pecorino.

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spread out eggplant cubes and peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with 3 tablespoons oil and season well with salt. Roast, turning everything, until eggplant and peppers are very soft and deeply golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in well-salted boiling water until about 1 minute shy of al dente. Drain.
• Using the large holes of a box grater, grate tomatoes over a large skillet so the pulp falls into the skillet. To do this, hold on to the curved side of the tomato in your hand and slide the cut, flat side across the holes. Stop grating just before you reach the skin.
• Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan with the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer until tomato pulp is reduced by half, then season to taste with salt.
• Add the pasta, capers and butter, if using, to the pan with the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, tossing until butter melts and pasta finishes cooking, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and toss in eggplant and cheese, if using.
• Serve pasta drizzled with a little more oil and the herbs.

TOMATO & AUBERGINE PASTA

Steps:

• Boil the pasta according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergine for 5 mins. Season to taste. Add garlic and sugar, and fry for another 2 mins until the garlic is softened. Tip the tomatoes, capers and parsley into the pan, warm through briefly then fold through the cooked, drained pasta.

PASTA ARRABBIATA WITH AUBERGINE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan, add the onions, cover and cook for 5 mins. Remove the lid and cook for 5 mins more, stirring frequently until softened. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and paprika, stir briefly, then tip in the tomatoes and a can of water. Stir in the bouillon and aubergine, then bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 mins.
• Cook the penne in a pan of boiling water for 12 mins until al dente. Drain, reserving 60ml of the cooking water. Add the cooked penne to the sauce, and toss well with the basil and a little of the reserved water, if needed. Spoon into two shallow bowls, and serve topped with the cheese and some extra basil, if you like.

AUBERGINE, TOMATO & PARMESAN BAKE (MELANZANE ALLA PARMIGIANA)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. In a shallow pan, mix together the garlic and 4 tbsp of the olive oil. Cook over a high heat for 3 mins, tip in the tomatoes, then simmer for 8 mins, stirring every now and then. Stir in the tomato purée.
• Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan until very hot. Brush a few of the aubergines with a little oil, then add to the pan. Cook over a high heat until well browned and cooked through, about 5-7 mins. Turn them halfway through cooking. Lift onto kitchen paper and do the next batch.
• When all the aubergines are cooked, lay a few of them in the bottom of an ovenproof dish, then spoon over some sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and basil leaves. Add seasoning, then repeat this process with the remaining ingredients. Finally, pour the egg over the top, sprinkle over a little more Parmesan, then bake for 20 mins or until the topping is golden.