Pasta with eggplant and basil sauce

Pre-heat the oven at 170°C /338° F.

Blanch the basil for some seconds in a pot full of boiling salted water.Scoop the basil with a slopped spoon and immediately plunge it in a bowl full of icy water so it will hold the nice bright green color.

Drain the basil and pat dry with kitchen paper, place it in a bowl with 1.7 fl oz extra virgin olive oil then blend with the mixer until obtaining a smooth mixture.

Clean the eggplant. Double wrap it in aluminum foil. Bake it in the oven until soft to the touch: it will take at least 30 minutes. Let the eggplant cool still wrapped in the foil, then slice it in half and, using a spoon, scoop out the core. Blend it in a mixer with part of the basil-scented oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Place the eggplant in a pan and heat up on moderate heat.  Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a pot full of boiling salted water for the cooking time shown on the pack.

When cooked al dente, drain the pasta and pour immediately in the pan with the eggplant sauce. Blend and add raw extra virgin olive oil. Serve with the remaining basil scented oil and, to taste, with the eggplant skin cut very thin and fried for just a few minutes in boiling oil.

CHEF’S TIP

If you would like to give the eggplant more character and taste, make incisions on the skin in some spots and “insert” some cloves of garlic. Wrap in foil according to the recipe. Remember to remove the garlic cloves before blending the pulp.

You can also use Fusilli pasta for this recipe.