MOZZARELLA AND EGGPLANT SAUCE PASTA

Ingredients

Serves: 4

•     14 oz (400 g) short pasta

•     1 cup (230 ml) half and half

•     ½ Lb (230 g) fresh mozzarella

•     ½ red onion

•     1 clove garlic

•     1 big eggplant

•     7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

•     1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

•     1 dash black pepper

•     5 tbsp coarse salt.

Instructions

    BAKED EGGPLANT

    First, preheat the oven to 355° F (180° C).

    After that, grease the eggplant with a thin film of extra-virgin olive oil, then place the eggplant over a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake the eggplant about 1 hour, until it becomes tender, flipping it halfway.

    SAUTEED ONION

    Slice the half onion, then saute along with, 1 peeled clove of garlic, 2 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, and 1 pinch of salt until very tender.

    MOZZARELLA SAUCE

    Now, prepare the Mozzarella cream sauce. Reduce the mozzarella into pieces and pour them into a blender. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and ¾ cup of half and half. Mix until obtaining a dense and creamy sauce, adding more half and half, if it’s necessary. Finally, wrap and store in the fridge.

    EGGPLANT SAUCE

    Once the eggplant is ready, cut it into half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. Be careful, because the eggplant will be very hot! Now, mix the eggplant pulp with a blender along with 1 tbsp of fresh parsley, the sauteed onion and garlic, 2 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp of table salt, and a dash of black pepper.

    MOZZARELLA AND EGGPLANT SAUCE PASTA

    Let the eggplant sauce reach room temperature, then blend along with the mozzarella sauce, and add table salt if necessary.

    Now, cook the pasta into 5 Qt of boiling water along with 4.5 tbsp of coarse salt. Raise the pasta “al dente”, then toss with the mozzarella and eggplant sauce. Serve immediately.

    The Mozzarella and eggplant sauce pasta is also delicious served at room temperature. In this case, once raised, rinse the pasta until reach room temperature, then toss with the sauce and serve.