"Life is short, use more glitter." At the beginning of almost every yoga class, we are reminded to connect to a mantra, an intention so to speak, to guide our practice. More often than not, the yoga instructor shares one having meaning to them. For more than a year now my mantra has been "You are good enough". But after hearing the one shared last Sunday, the one where the 'use more glitter' was merely a euphemism for show more kindness, be more empathic, be less hubris, be more accepting, be more thoughtful, and so on and so on, I smiled. Seems like I wasn't there just to experience the satisfaction of surviving an hour of yoga in the brutally hot sun or reveling in that post yoga session euphoria. Instead, unbeknownst to me, I was really there to make a change to my mantra. From one focused less on self-validation to one centered more on self-awareness. While I may still need to remind myself from time to time that I am indeed 'good enough', everyone around me will be better served if I repeatedly say, as well as act on, the words "Life is short, use more glitter.". Trust me when I say redundancy has its' benefits.
Speaking of, there is no such thing as too much of a good thing, this Pasta in Roasted Eggplant Tomato Sauce w/ Basil and Fresh Mozzarella is one of the most crave-worthy, hearty pasta dishes I have had in awhile. From the perfectly roasted eggplant to the velvety tomato sauce to the fresh basil and mozzarella to the trecce pasta, every bite of this dish is deeply satisfying. If you love roasted eggplant, but don't necessarily want to spend hours making eggplant parmesan, you definitely want this pasta dish in your life. Pair it with a really, really good bottle of wine (because life is too short not to indulge yourself) and a simple salad and you have the makings of a memorable meal. Easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, yet elegant and impressive enough to serve for a dinner party, this might be your new, favorite go-to pasta dish. Seriously, it's so freaking delicious.
A few weeks back I picked up a bag of some trecce pasta from Eataly. Now in retrospect, I should have bought two, maybe three bags of this pasta. It is my new favorite pasta! These short rolls of pasta look like braids of hair. And in Italian, trecce literally means braid. Made with semolina wheat flour, trecce pasta is an Italian creation. Having a slightly rough texture, it's surface is perfect for capturing and holding sauces once cooked. How have I lived without ever having this pasta before? See notes below for alternative pasta options for this dish.
Rather than look for one large eggplant weighing approximately one and a half pounds, I would highly recommend you look for the smaller, baby eggplants. I used five baby (Italian) eggplants (totaling one and a half pounds in weight) for this dish. Smaller eggplants are generally more flavorful and have a more tender flesh/skin than larger eggplants. When choosing eggplants at the market, look for ones having a smooth, shiny skin. While they are available year round, their peak season is from July through October.
Choosing the smaller, baby eggplants has yet another advantage in this pasta dish. Cutting the eggplant into one inch chunks ensures each piece has a bit of the skin on it. When roasted, the little bites of roasted eggplant are able to hold their shape rather than fall apart.
Tossed with a half cup of olive oil, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and some black pepper, the eggplant roasts in a preheated 450 degree (F) oven for 30-35 minutes. Midway through the roasting process, toss the eggplant on the baking sheet. Your eggplant is done when its' browned and tender. Three quarters of the roasted eggplant will be mixed in with the tomato sauce. While the remaining one quarter is reserved along with some additional fresh basil, grated Pecorino Romano Cheese, and olive oil to adorn the top of the pasta.
When making the Pasta in Roasted Eggplant Tomato Sauce w/ Basil and Fresh Mozzarella begin by making the tomato sauce. It can even be made earlier in the day or even the day before (and then reheated). This is a very simple, yet rich, velvety sauce. Garlic, olive oil, peeled whole canned tomatoes, some water, salt, pepper, fresh basil, and a tablespoon of unsalted butter are its' only ingredients. After simmering for approximately 45-60 minutes, the sauce thickens to the most perfect consistency.
When the eggplant is well past the halfway roasting point, start making the pasta. Like most pastas, this one should be cooked to slightly al dente as it will continue to cook when mixed in with the tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, and fresh mozzarella.
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano Cheese, a little more fresh basil, and a generous drizzle of olive oil are the finishing touches to this hearty pasta dish. Even though there is eight ounces of fresh mozzarella in the pasta dish, I threw on about a half dozen balls of Ciliegine, bite sized pieces of fresh mozzarella, as an additional garnish. Are you drooling yet?
In the spirit of 'life is short', eat more pasta. In spite of there not being any 'meat' in the Pasta in Roasted Eggplant Tomato Sauce w/ Basil and Fresh Mozzarella, it is a very hearty, rich, soul satisfying, impressive dish. We can thank the roasted eggplant for making this insanely delicious, vegetarian pasta dish one even 'meat' lovers will be taken in by.
To keep things simple, serve Kahlua Affogato Sundaes for dessert. They would be the most perfect finishing touch to what will end up being an epic meal. Splurge a little by topping the sundaes with some Luxardo cherries.
So pick up some baby eggplant, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella this weekend. Look for some trecce pasta (or find something similar) and invite some friends and/or family over for dinner. Open up some of that great wine you have waiting for the right occasion to serve and get ready to have the most delicious evening.
Pasta in Roasted Eggplant Tomato Sauce w/ Basil and Fresh Mozzarella
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of eggplant, cut into one inch cubes (See notes)
1/2 cup and 4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
5-7 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo Pepper or 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
28 ounce can of whole peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon fresh basil, cut into chiffonade
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Kosher salt and black pepper
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1 pound bag of Trecce pasta (or other
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
Additional olive oil for finishing
Optional: 7-8 balls of Ciliegine
Directions
1. In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and Aleppo pepper. Cook until garlic is golden and tender (approximately 3-4 minutes).
2. In a medium sized bowl, pour in the contents of the whole peeled Italian tomatoes. Squeeze the tomatoes with your hands until you break them apart into chunks. Pour one cup of water into the empty can and add to the tomatoes.
3. Pour the tomato/water mixture into the olive oil. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 45-60 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in one tablespoon of chopped basil, one tablespoon of unsalted butter, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).
5. Toss the eggplant with one half cup of olive oil, one teaspoon of kosher salt, and some black pepper in a medium sized bowl. Spread out onto a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast until browned and tender (approximately 30-35 minutes). Midway through the roasting process, turn eggplant over with a spatula. Remove from oven when done.
6. Midway through the eggplant roasting process, make the pasta. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta in a colander.
7. Return drained pasta to the pan. Pour over the homemade tomato sauce, 3/4 of the roasted eggplant, 1/4 cup of chopped basil, the fresh mozzarella, and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Cook on low heat, just until the cheese begins to melt adding 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce (approximately 1-2 minutes). If the pasta mixture is too thick, use remaining reserved pasta water to loosen it slightly. Immediately transfer to a large serving platter. (Note: I used only 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water.)
8. Top the pasta with the remaining eggplant and 1/4 cup of fresh basil. Grate Pecorino-Romano over the top and drizzle some additional olive oil. Optional: Top with a half dozen fresh mini-mozzarella balls.
9. Serve with a plate of some additional grated cheese and enjoy!
Notes: (1) The trecce pasta was made by an Italian company, Fratelli Minaglia, and bought at Eataly. If you can't find trecce pasta in any of the food stores you frequent, look for another short-shaped, ridged Italian pasta like fusilli, gamelli, rigatoni, or cavatappi. (2) This is already a rich, hearty dish, but you take to an even more impressive level by finishing with some burrata. Just saying. (3) The tomato sauce can be made early in the day or the day before. Reheat before mixing in the pasta.
