The fried eggplant adds a depth of flavor and meaty texture that is irresistible. I absolutely love this dish. If you don’t want to fry the eggplants, simply drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until tender.
– 1 large eggplant
– 3 cloves garlic, sliced
– 1 tablespoon basil, chopped
– 2 tomatoes, peeled & diced
– 2 tablespoons tomato paste
– 1 cup hot water
– Salt to taste
– Olive olive for frying
– Pasta for 2
The How:
Place a pot with salted water over high heat. That way it will be ready for the pasta when you are ready to cook it.
Cut the eggplant into thick slices. I enjoy the taste of the skin, but if you don’t, peel it and then cut into slices. Place the slices in a colander, salting both sides lightly, and layering the slices. Place a plate on top and weigh that down with something heavy’ish. 30 mins should be enough to get some moisture out.
Pat the eggplant slices dry with a paper towel.
Place a large frying pan over medium high heat, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, shallow fry the eggplant slices until dark golden brown on both sides.
Drain the slices on a plate lined with paper towels.
You will be using the same pan you fried in to make the sauce. There should be a few tablespoons of olive oil still in the pan. If not, add a little more.
Place the garlic, basil, diced tomatoes, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until you can mash them with the back of a spoon.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for two minutes. Add the hot water and another sprinkling of salt. Simmer that for 10 minutes. This is the perfect time to put the pasta in the water.
Cut the aubergines into bite-size pieces and add them to the frying pan.
Add the pasta to the pan and stir gently.
Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan if that’s all you have.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴.
Plate up and top with a sprinkling of cheese and chopped parsley (optional).
The fried eggplant adds a depth of flavor and meaty texture that is irresistible. I absolutely love this dish. If you don't want to fry the eggplants, simply drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until tender.
Ingredients
- - 1 large eggplant
- - 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- - 1 tablespoon basil, chopped
- - 2 tomatoes, peeled & diced
- - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- - 1 cup hot water
- - Salt to taste
- - Olive olive for frying
- - Pasta for 2
-
Instructions
-
- Place a pot with salted water over high heat. That way it will be ready for the pasta when you are ready to cook it.
- Cut the eggplant into thick slices. I enjoy the taste of the skin, but if you don’t, peel it and then cut into slices. Place the slices in a colander, salting both sides lightly, and layering the slices. Place a plate on top and weigh that down with something heavy’ish. 30 mins should be enough to get some moisture out.
- Pat the eggplant slices dry with a paper towel.
- Place a large frying pan over medium high heat, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, shallow fry the eggplant slices until dark golden brown on both sides.
- Drain the slices on a plate lined with paper towels.
- You will be using the same pan you fried in to make the sauce. There should be a few tablespoons of olive oil still in the pan. If not, add a little more.
- Place the garlic, basil, diced tomatoes, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until you can mash them with the back of a spoon.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for two minutes.
- Add the hot water and another sprinkling of salt. Simmer that for 10 minutes. This is the perfect time to put the pasta in the water.
- Cut the aubergines into bite-size pieces and add them to the frying pan.
- Add the pasta to the pan and stir gently.
- Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano cheese or Parmesan if that’s all you have.
- 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴.
- Plate up and top with a sprinkling of cheese and chopped parsley (optional).