Spring is in full bloom here in Brooklyn. I saw the most beautiful sight of spring yet. A bright, yellow, blooming, bunch of dandelions! Give me a month or two and I might change my mind about these little yellow gems but for now I’ll take it.
Despite the great weather we are having I still like to watch some television. I am obsessed with watching food and cooking shows. One of the shows I catch sometimes is called Extra Virgin on the Cooking channel. Some time ago they featured a recipe that looked incredible. It is this eggplant and pasta incaciata that I set out to recreate today!
Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon of unsalted butter (for greasing the spring form pan)
6 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more as needed for frying eggplant
1/2 small red onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 pinch red pepper flakes
6 fresh basil leaves (torn)
1 15oz can tomato sauce
2 cups of tri-colored pasta
3 tablespoons of red cooking wine
1/2 lb ground pork
2 medium eggplant
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
First I mixed together 6 tablespoons of whole wheat bread crumbs and 6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese. Then I greased the pan with 1/2 tablespoon of butter and used 4 tablespoons of the bread crumbs and parmesan to lightly coat it. I used a 9 x 3 inch spring form.
Next I started boiling water for the pasta. I added 2 cups of pasta and cooked them until al dente, shocked the noodles, and set them aside.
Then using a mandolin on the second setting (about an 1/8th of an inch) I sliced 2 eggplants into thin strips lengthwise. Next I heated a large fry pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat and began frying the eggplant until golden brown on each side. I used a pinch of pepper on both sides. I cooked the eggplant in a few batches adding olive oil as need for frying. I set each batch on paper towels to drain and rest.
In another frying pan I heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil and began sautéing 1 clove of garlic and 1/2 a small red onion until tender.
Then I added one 15 oz can of tomato sauce and added 1 pinch each of red pepper flakes, black pepper, and salt. Once my sauce started simmering I stirred in 6 torn leaves of fresh basil and removed the sauce from the heat. I set it aside in a bowl for later.
In the empty sauce pan I heated 1 tablespoon olive oil and began browning the ground pork until fully cooked. Then I added 1 clove garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper, and 3 tablespoons of red cooking wine. I cooked off the wine for five minutes. Then I added the sauce and brought the whole thing back up to a simmer and removed it from the heat. Lastly, I added the pasta and stirred it all together.
To assemble, I first layered some eggplant across the bottom and draped more over the sides of the pan.
Next I spooned in the pasta sauce mixture, packing it down gently. This is the first layer.
For the second layer, I added a healthy portion of sharp white cheddar. Then I repeated the pasta layer. For the top, I added a second helping of cheese, although slightly less.
Then I placed four extra slices of eggplant on top and began folding in the eggplant from the sides.
Next I covered the eggplant dish in plastic wrap. I added 4 heavy plates on top to weigh it down. Then I refrigerated it for 3 hours. The weight and refrigeration is essential to have any chance at making a slice.
Twenty minutes before the 3 hours was up I started to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. I took the eggplant dish from the fridge and removed the plastic wrap. I sprinkled the top with the last remnants of the breadcrumb mixture.
I placed the eggplant dish onto a cookie sheet and covered it with foil. I baked it for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I removed the foil and baked uncovered for another 15 minutes. This is to get an extra crunch on the top.
I let it cool for a final 20 minutes before trying to take off the spring form. This can get tricky, and I had to use a knife to clean the sides before getting the spring form off. Even after that, to get a slice can be quite a challenge. Regardless of a successful slice or not (if you have to dip in with a serving spoon) this is still a delicious baked pasta dish. The simple and clean flavors are so refreshing.
Next I started boiling water for the pasta. I added 2 cups of pasta and cooked them until al dente, shocked the noodles, and set them aside.
