Eggplant and Tomato Pasta

A ‘One and Only’ Pasta….

The worst thing you can do to Eggplant is undercook it. Its texture is rubbery and taste is astringent. I almost always bake it whole or steam it (sliced or chopped) before adding to a recipe. An added advantage of this is that it will NOT absorb extensive amounts of oil or ghee while cooking(which it releases when cooked often then making and overly oily dish).

With this pasta sauce I use onion which is quite rare for me….See ‘Onion’.

  • step 1

    Cut the top and bottom off the eggplant. And then cut into cubes  of about 1-2 cms.

    Place in a steamer and sprinkle with Good Salt and steam for about 5-7 minutes. A pointed knife should slide easily with no effort thru the flesh (discard the steamer water).

    Put aside to be ready for the sauce.

  • step 2

    Slice the onion, melt a some ghee and gently on low heat, fry it until it goes a little translucent.  Then add the steamed eggplant and increase the heat to medium

    Sprinkle with black pepper or ‘long pepper’ if you have it.  Continue to cook until  both onion and eggplant brown somewhat. Notice how the ghee coats the eggplant but is not absorbed.

  • step 3

    Add the tomato paste and a little water and cook until thickened again. Add the washed baby spinach and stir thru until wilted.

     

     

  • step 4

    Now add some olive oil to your taste. Add the oil now retains the flavour, aroma and nutrients, and most importantly it does not oxidize (which it will if fried at high temperature). And warm thru gently.

    Have the pasta of choice of ready and fold thru  the sauce and warm it up if needed.