I love eggplant

After a long day kayaking at le Marais du Nord, a quick but satisfying meal was in order.  My sweetie suggested pasta, any kind : perfect idea.

Since the first day I tried my hands on pots and pans, italian cuisine has been a favorite of mine. And after spending two months travelling in Italy in 2008 (see http://danielleenitalie.blogspot.com) it remains one of the first thing I think of when planning a meal. Italian cooking is based on fresh, seasonnal products, and simplicity is a must. As David Rocco says in his cookbook : «The goal is to use the best ingredients you can get your hands on and to enhance their flavors, doing the very minimum.» I totally share his point of vue.

Today's recipe is a mix of two italian classics :  pasta alla Norma, and  pasta alla scarpariello, or «little shoemaker's pasta». And I took some liberties with the eggplant; I prefer to grill it instead of simmering it in the sauce : a light charring gives it a smoked, mellow flavor that is unique and matches well with the tomatoes.

Ahhh... Eggplants...I love eggplants. Too bad the english word is somehow lame compare to the french word (aubergines) or the italian one (melanzane).

Pâtes à la pancetta, aux aubergines et à la tomate - 
Pasta with pancetta, eggplant and tomato
 

A little olive oil, mixed with a garlic clove, finely minced (for brushing)
1 large eggplant, cut in thick slices
1 onion, minced
100 g pancetta, diced
1 can 28 oz whole italian tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
A few grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved (optionnal)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
A handful of fresh basil, chopped

Start with the eggplant : lightly brush the slices with the mix of oil and garlic, and put them on the preheated barbecue grill, direct heat. They are ready when they are getting softer and lightly golden. Take them out and let them cool down, then chop them.

The rest of the recipe will take about the same time it takes to cook the pasta.

While the pasta is boiling, heat up a large pan and pour in the olive oil; when the oil is hot, add the onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is almost translucide. Add the pancetta and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and burning. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, enough so it releases its flavor.

Add the tomatoes, the chopped eggplant, the chili flakes, salt and pepper; and since the pancetta is quite salty, be careful with the salt. While you are at it, mix in all those little shrinking grape tomatoes that lay forgotten on the kitchen counter : you wouldn't use them in a fesh salad, but they are surely good enough for this sauce.

Simmer for about 10 minutes, enough time for the sauce to thicken a bit and for the flavors to combine well. Add the basil at the last minute.

Mix the sauce with short pasta as penne, or over spaghetti or tagliatelle. And don't forget freshly grated parmigiano or pecorino.

Buon appetito!

Serves 4