Creamy Paccheri with Fried Eggplant

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PRESENTATION

Creamy Paccheri with Fried Eggplant is a tasty pasta dish, a creamy twist on the traditional Pasta alla Norma. Compared to the classic recipe, here you will find a pasta with a smooth and velvety sauce. The addition of fresh basil and a sprinkling of salted ricotta complete the creamy paccheri with fried eggplant, giving freshness and the unique taste of this aged cheese. A perfect blend of tradition and innovation that will win you over at the first bite!

Take advantage of the warm season to prepare other delicious eggplant pasta recipes:

INGREDIENTS

Paccheri pasta 11.3 oz (320 g)
Eggplant 1
Grana Padano PDO cheese 1 oz (30 g)
Salted ricotta cheese to taste
Pine nuts 1 spoonful - toasted
Fine salt to taste
Peanut seed oil to taste - (for frying)
for the tomato sauce
Peeled plum tomatoes 14.1 oz (400 g)
Shallot 1
Basil to taste
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Fine salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Preparation

How to prepare Creamy Paccheri with Fried Eggplant

To prepare paccheri with fried eggplant cream, wash and trim the eggplant 1, then cut it into slices about 1/2 inch thick and finally dice them 2. Place the cubes in a colander and lightly salt them 3. Let them drain for about 30 minutes; this will make them drier so they won't absorb too much oil during frying.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: heat a splash of oil in a pan with the chopped shallot 4. Let the shallot soften, then add the peeled tomatoes 5 and salt 6.

Season with pepper and fresh basil 7 and cook for 5 minutes; set the sauce aside. Retrieve the eggplants, and squeeze them lightly with your hands 8. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan to 340°F, then immerse the eggplants 9.

Fry until golden, it will only take a few minutes. Drain 10 on a tray lined with paper towels 11. Now retrieve the sauce set aside 12.

Pour it into a pitcher 13, add a couple of tablespoons of eggplant 14 and the grated Grana Padano PDO 15.

Blend everything with an immersion blender 16 until you get a smooth cream 17. Cook the paccheri in plenty of salted water 18.

Reheat the eggplant cream in the pan with the diced eggplants 19, then drain the paccheri al dente and add them here 20 along with a ladle of pasta water to complete the cooking 21.

Finish with the pine nuts 22 and stir. Serve on plates with a sprinkle of grated salted ricotta 23 and fresh basil leaves. The creamy paccheri with fried eggplant is ready to be served 24!

How to store

We recommend consuming the creamy paccheri with fried eggplant immediately.

Tips

Looking for a different aromatic touch? Try garnishing the pasta with fresh mint leaves instead of basil.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.