Pasta With Eggplant And Basil Sauce Recipes

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.

EGGPLANT CAPONATA PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the raisins, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and let cook about 2 minutes, then cover and set aside.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high. Stir in half the eggplant to coat evenly in the oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. (Eggplant should brown and tenderize but still maintain its shape.) Heat another 1/4 cup oil, then add remaining eggplant; season and repeat.
• While the eggplant cooks, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. (You might not use all the pasta water.)
• Add another 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the shallot, pine nuts, capers, garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring frequently, until the shallot is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant, along with the sliced basil and vinegar.
• Strain the soaked raisins, discarding the soaking liquid, then add the raisins to the eggplant mixture and toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. The mixture should taste quite aggressively salty and tangy, but it will mellow when tossed with pasta and ricotta. (Eggplant mixture can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
• Add eggplant mixture, pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the pot. Toss to coat over medium heat until eggplant is warmed, adding extra pasta water if necessary. Divide among shallow bowls, top with ricotta and additional torn basil and serve immediately. Pass with additional olive oil for drizzling, if desired.

PASTA WITH EGGPLANT AND BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onions, eggplant and garlic; sauté until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add 1/2 cup basil, pine nuts, thyme and rosemary and sauté until eggplant softens, about 10 minutes. Mix in broth. Simmer sauce until eggplant is very tender and liquids begin to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over low heat before continuing.)
• Add penne to sauce in Dutch oven. Toss until sauce coats pasta. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

PASTA WITH EGGPLANT AND BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• For the pesto: In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the oil until the mixture is smooth and thick. Add the cheese and pulse until just incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• For the pasta: 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 and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Put the pasta into a large serving bowl and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Toss until coated.
• In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant turns golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly. Add the pesto and toss until the eggplant is coated.
• Add the eggplant mixture to the serving bowl with the pasta and toss until all of the ingredients are coated. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve.

PASTA WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT, RICOTTA, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• In a jelly-roll pan toss eggplant with 1 tablespoon oil and salt and pepper to taste and roast in oven, shaking pan occasionally, until golden and tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While eggplant is roasting, in a heavy skillet cook onion, garlic, and bell pepper with salt and pepper to taste in remaining tablespoon oil over moderate heat, stirring, until softened.
• Add tomatoes and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes and pepper are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir in vinegar and roasted eggplant.
• In a kettle of boiling salted water cook pasta until al dente and drain well, reserving about 3/4 cup cooking water. In a bowl toss pasta well with sauce, ricotta, basil, Parmesan, salt and pepper to taste, and enough reserved cooking water to reach desired consistency.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, EGGPLANT AND BASIL

Steps:

• Toss eggplant with 1 tablespoon salt in large colander. Place over bowl and let stand 30 minutes.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add eggplant; saut until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook meatballs until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out skillet.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and chilies; sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add meatballs, broth and cream. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant and simmer 1 minute.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
• Toss pasta with sauce and 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix in basil and pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pasta, passing additional Parmesan cheese separately.

PASTA WITH EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant in slices one-quarter-inch thick. Place slices in layers in a colander, salting as you go. Leave for one hour. Wipe the eggplant dry with paper towels.
• Dredge the slices lightly with flour. Heat the oil in a large skillet and fry the eggplant a few slices at a time until golden on both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Prepare the sauce. Using one-quarter cup of the oil you have used for the eggplant, sautee the onion until soft. Add the meat, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for one hour, covered.
• Cut eggplant into strips.
• Cook the pasta in five quarts boiling water, until al dente.
• Place the pasta in a heated serving dish. Add the sauce and arrange the eggplant on top. Sprinkle with the basil and serve. Pass the cheese separately.