Here’s hoping you all had a happy and healthy Easter, and no doubt enjoyed lots of home cooking!
Chef Carmelo continues his theme of easy and quick-to-cook vegetarian recipes which offers a healthy alternative to the meats, desserts and chocolate we have likely all indulged in this Easter-time!
Remember, if you have any questions for Chef Carmelo he would love to hear from you. If you have any favourite dishes that you are unsure how to cook, then send your query via my website and we will get back to you with step by step instructions. Let’s stay healthy together while we are all confined at home and make cooking FUN.
Eggplant with Pasta al Pomodoro
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
20g fresh basil (or parsley), finely chopped
660ml Passata sauce (tomato)
400g Pasta (100g per person) – Penne, Rigatoni, Spaghetti
S/P
20g Parmesan cheese
Method:
Eggplant
Slice eggplant into 1/4-inch discs
Roast or fry with pinch of salt and pepper in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft and browned – 5-10 minutes
Remove from heat and lay on kitchen paper to rest.
Tomato Sauce
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in medium pan and add 2 cloves of crushed garlic.
Cook garlic for 2 minutes
Pour jar of Passata into pan, add chopped basil and simmer sauce for 25-30 minutes
Pasta
Boil large pan of lightly salted water and add 100g per person of pasta of your choice – 400g for this recipe – and follow cooking time on packet (usually 12-15 minutes for dry pasta)
Drain and toss cooked pasta with tomato sauce and decorate with fried eggplant discs. Save a little sauce to put over eggplant if you like.
Top with grated Parmesan cheese to serve!
Chef’s Tip: To avoid too much pasta per amount of sauce, remember the rule of 100g pasta per person!