A member of the nightshade family (which includes potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and chili peppers), eggplant was once thought to cause insanity. It was also believed to be poisonous, but neither notion turned out to be true. There is equal confusion about how it made its way from India, where it originates, to Sicilia, where it was introduced to the kitchen gardens in the 1300s. It has since been variously used as an ornamental plant, for medicinal purposes, and as an ingredient in a wide variety of dishes.
Sicilia’s warm climate encourages prolific crops of eggplant in a variety of shapes, from round globes to small, slender cylinders. As a result, eggplant is a common ingredient in Sicilian cuisine, including a variety of pasta dishes, such as this one.
Ingredients:
§ 3 large eggplants
§ Sea salt
§ 2 cups Salsa di Pomodoro (tomato sauce)*
§ 1½ cups vegetable oil
§ ¾ pound dry spaghetti
§ ¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano
§ Freshly ground pepper
§ ¾ cup grated ricotta salata
§ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Serves 6
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Trim a thin slice of the skin off two sides of each eggplant to make them flat. Cut each eggplant lengthwise into six ¼-inch slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer on paper towel-lined plates. Sprinkle generously with salt and let sit for at least 1 hour.
Pour half the tomato sauce into a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish. Heat the remaining sauce in a large sauté pan.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Pat each eggplant slice dry with paper towels and add to the oil. Cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes, turning once after 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Let cool.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook just until the spaghetti is pliable, removing it before it is al dente, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain. Add to the sauté pan with the tomato sauce. Add the pecorino and a pinch of salt and pepper; mix well.
Arrange the 18 eggplant slices on a work surface. Divide the pasta into 18 portions. Arrange a portion on top of each eggplant slice, curling the ends toward the center. Roll each eggplant slice around the pasta. Arrange in the baking dish, with the ends of each eggplant slice on the bottom. Sprinkle the ricotta salata over the bundles and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over each bundle.
*See the recipe for one of our favorite Salsa di Pomodoro sauces here: https://www.ilfornaioblog.com/2020/03/27/a-recipe-for-salsa-di-pomodoro/
This post first appeared on Il Fornaio — Authentic Italian Restaurants, please read the originial post: here
