That freshly-made fresh ricotta from our favorite caseficio inspired today’s pasta recipe.
Eggplants and ripe red tomatoes – goodnesss from friend Renato’s garden – formed a delectable combination to that fresh ricotta in today’s spaghetti sauce.
Easy, simple and buonissimo. Ready to try it?
Spaghetti alla Ricotta e Melanzane
Ingredients (for four persons)
2 medium-sized eggplants
2 ripe tomatoes (or add more if desired)
1/2 white onion
bunch of fresh basil
ricotta – 1/2 to 1. c (depends on you!)
Extra virgin olive oil, q.b. (“quanto basta” or “a much as needed”)
grated Parmesan, q.b.
salt, q.b.
chili pepper
spaghetti (hint: use 1 lb pasta for every 5 persons)
Cut eggplants into small pieces and dice onion:
Dice fresh tomatoes and cut basil into small pieces. (Note: you may wish to use a cutting board. Not Pino!)
Heat onion in olive until golden:
Add eggplant and simmer a few minutes, then add tomato and basil and continue simmering on low heat – about 15 minutes or until eggplants soft. (Pasta water can be boiling while eggplant and tomatoes are simmering).
Put fresh ricotta in serving dish and cream with fork:
When spaghetti is cooked al dente, immediately add just about 1/4 c. cold water to halt cooking, Drain spaghetti, saving some of the brodo della pasta (cooking water of the pasta) to add to sauce to make creamier, if needed:
Put steaming spaghetti onto ricotta then toss gently:
Add the tomato and eggplant sauce:
Season with Parmesan, q.b.:
Serve. Buon appetito!
