Pasta with eggplants is a little like pasta bake but with more drama from the mozzarella di buffala, parmesan, fried eggplants, and last but not least the basil-infused tomato sauce. This dish is also known as Pasta alla Siciliana or pasta alla norma (I swap the ricotta for mozzarella). I consider it an all in one recipe. Why?
Well, because It’s perfect for when you want something filling but quick! You can have everyone (of different ages) eating the same dish so you don’t have to bother making this for the adults and something else for the kids.
Why Else You Will Love Pasta With Eggplants
Other than the above reasons to love this dish you may also like the idea of it being:
Comfort food
When you make pasta then top it off with cheese. It crosses the border from just a plain old dish to something extremely comforting. But we don’t just top it off with any mozzarella, we do so with mozzarella di buffalo which is milkier! And then because that wasn’t enough, we up the ante with parmesan. I couldn’t sell this any more than I already have. Make it once, and it may just become your preferred comfort food or go-to ‘dirty pasta’ recipe.
Oh wait, I have probably said that in another pasta post. But what can I say? it’s hard to pick a favorite with all these hip lovin’ heartwarming options. And I am so glad there are many recipes to which we can incorporate eggplants.
A weaning idea
I mentioned that adults and kids can enjoy this too. But can babies? Yes, they can, I have made this for my kids and there were zero complaints. So with just a few alterations, here’s how to prepare it:
For the Aubergine baby bliss recipe you will need:
300g diced Aubergine
360g passata/plum tomato puree without seeds
Fresh basil leaves
30g brown onion
Olive oil
Heat 3 tbsps of olive oil over medium-high heat in a non-stick frying pan and add in the aubergine. Sauté until light brown while turning every few minutes, it should take roughly 20 minutes.
Put the aubergine aside and using the same pan heat 2 tbsps of olive oil and fry the onions until translucent and a very light brown.
Pour in the passata and aubergine, cover, and leave to simmer over low heat for 7 minutes.
Take the sauce off the fire and stir in 6 basil leaves, puree until smooth
Serve with bite-sized boiled potatoes or baby pasta
How to Prepare Pasta With Eggplants Like a Boss!
Step 1: Dice the eggplants to roughly the size of your thumbnail. Fry them at 190 C until they start to turn golden brown before taking them out. You should be careful because as soon as they start to change color, they can quickly burn. It is important that you lay the fried eggplants (not heaped over each other) over a paper towel to drain excess oil.
Step 2: Heat some olive oil in a non-stick pan over high heat. Toss in a garlic clove to infuse the oil. So you need to take it out before it starts to brown, about 30-40 seconds after you put it in the hot oil.
Since I am not using enough oil to make a puddle I will always tilt the pan to create a puddle making it easier to infuse the oil and keep the garlic from quickly burning. I turn it every few seconds.
Next, take the pan off the fire (because the difference in temperature will cause the sauce to sizzle at first contact which can cause burns) and pour in the tomato sauce, stir, and put it back on the fire on low heat to reduce for about 7 minutes. While the sauce reduces, bring the water for the pasta to a boil.
Step 3: Take the sauce off the fire, stir in the fresh basil leaves, and cover to infuse as you wait for the pasta. 1 minute before you drain the pasta, you need to put the sauce back on the stove at medium-high heat.
Scramble the mozzarella over the sauce and stir (the point is to get it to start melting before you toss in the pasta). Drain the pasta and immediately add it to the sauce, stir, and add in the eggplants. Watch for the mozzarella, soon as most of it seems melted, take the pan off the fire and stir in the parmesan. Serve hot!
If you prefer to finish the dish in the oven. You need to mix the pasta, sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, and eggplant (save some mozzarella for topping). Tip the mixture into a casserole/baking dish, top it with some more mozzarella, and sprinkle parmesan. Put the casserole dish in the middle rack of the oven, covered for 8 minutes at 200 C, then one minute uncovered.
“That saucy piece of bread is called scarpetta.”
With that tomato sauce and milky mozzarella, you are sure to have an excess of sauce puddled around bits of fried eggplants. This is why you need to have bread on the side to wipe off all those delicious juices. That saucy piece of bread is called scarpetta. And that dear reader is how you finish off a saucy pasta dish such as this!
A Few Tips Before You Get Started
Time: Your best bet is to try and do 3 things at the same time if you have 3 available hobs/stoves. Otherwise, take it easy and start with frying the eggplants, then prepare the sauce and lastly boil the pasta.
Finish: Should you choose to finish your pasta in the oven, take it out of the water one minute before the recommended time on the pack.
‘Water bath‘: Submerging the eggplants in cold water keeps them from discolouring.
Frying: Make sure to fry at the right temperature to avoid overly soggy results and do not over-fry the eggplants or they will taste bitter. Take them out as soon as they are are a nice light brown.
Storage:
Not recommended
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Alternative Recipes I Think You Might Like
I will trade you one comfort food for another that is bound to get you hooked, enter ….
Tortiglioni with Ham and Cream
This recipe takes half the time to prepare but renders the same scrumptious results. If you’re a sucker for ham then this will be your new bestie recipe.
Penne with a Spicy Tomato and Ricotta Sauce
Alternatively, should your tongue be craving a little sizzle, then this other pasta recipe with fresh chili sautéed with tomato sauce will make you sing! When ricotta is not the star in a calzone or the ever-decadent cannoli rolls. It’s busy cooling fires in this spicy tomato and ricotta sauce.
Though not suitable for children, we can still do a simple alteration to make that possible. Omit the chili and instead, just use tomato, ricotta, and parmesan- your kids may just ask for more.
Pasta with eggplants
(+5 rating, 1 votes)
Loading...The eggplants liven up your basil tomato sauce, the buffalo mozzarella and parmesan is just a little something to ensure it passes the comfort food test.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frying oil
- 1 eggplant (at least 280g)
- 5 large fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 400g passata (1 can of peeled plum tomatoes)
- 125 g fresh mozzarella or buffalo mozzarella
- 50 g freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
- 200 g casarecce pasta
- Salt to taste
Instructions
MISE EN PLACE
Prepare a large bowl with salted (1 tsp) cold water
Grate parmesan and crumble mozzarella into pieces (set aside in separate bowls)
Dice eggplants into cubes and submerge into the salted water. Dry them off in a kitchen towel prior to frying
EGGPLANT
Heat the oil in a large frying pan to an optimal frying temperature of 375 F
Test the heat of the oil by frying one eggplant cube or using a frying thermometer. Alternatively use a chopstick by standing it in the pan, it should bubble meaning it's hot enough
Fry the eggplants for about 5-7 minutes or until slightly brown. (Make sure the eggplants are not piled up in the pan but are all laid out on a single layer- if there are too many or your pan is too small then fry them in 2 batches. Wait until they are slightly browned on first contact before turning them (avoid constantly stirring so you don’t mash them up.)
Remove the eggplants using a skimmer and drain off excess fat on a kitchen paper towel (do not pile them on-top of each other, spread them out).
Bring one litre of water to the boil while you prepare the pasta sauce below
SAUCE
Blend tomatoes until smooth without lumps and sieve the seeds out
In a large and deep frying pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and toss in the garlic. Tilt the pan so that the garlic is submerged in the oil and give it a little wiggle- leave to infuse for about a minute (should it start to brown before the 1 minute is done remove the garlic and throw it away).
Pour the passata into the garlic infused oil and stir to combine. Next add salt to taste and leave to slightly thicken for about 3 minutes. When ready, take it off the fire and toss in the basil leaves- stir, cover and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200 C
Water should be ready by now so go ahead and add in the pasta and cook as per time instructions on the pack IF you will finish the dish on the stove and not in the oven. Otherwise if you prefer to finish the dish in the oven proceed to drain at least 2 minutes before the pasta is al dente.
When the pasta is almost ready (about 2 minutes) put the tomato sauce back on the stove at a very low heat (you only want to keep it hot but not reduce it!)
FINISH
STOVE: If you choose to finish the dish by melting the cheese on the stove you need to drain the pasta and add it to the sauce then ‘sprinkle’ the parmesan, followed by the mozzarella and eggplant. Increase the heat to medium and stir through to combine well ensuring the mozzarella is all melted and gooey. Should take no more than 2 minutes
OVEN: Mix the pasta with the sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and eggplant (save some mozzarella for topping). Tip the mixture into a casserole/baking dish, top with some more mozzarella and sprinkle of parmesan then put it in the middle rack of the oven covered for 8 minutes then one minute uncovered.
Serve hot with freshly grated parmesan
Notes
When the eggplants are fried they would be light and have a crisp sound when shaken against each other.
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