Bucatini with Eggplant

No dish could be more authentic or Sicilian than this. Both bucatini and eggplant are synonymous with Sicily, and the use of breadcrumbs is yet another characteristic of the Sicilian cuisine.

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 small eggplants, unpeeled, and cut into small strips
• Salt and freshly milled pepper to taste
• 12 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup Gaeta olives, pitted and quartered
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, shredded
• 1 pound bucatini pasta
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs

METHOD

Heat oil in heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in onion. Cook until softening and add garlic. When onion begins to turn golden, stir in eggplant and cook for five minutes, stirring. Season with salt and pepper.

Add tomatoes, olives and basil and simmer over medium heat until tomatoes soften.

Cook bucatini in rapidly boiling, salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well in colander.

Put pasta in serving bowl. Add the eggplant mixture. Toss and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Serves: 4

This recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

article on Sicilian cooking    more sicilian recipes

We repeat this advice many times on the site: never put onion and garlic to sauté together. Always put in the onion first, and when softened, add garlic. If you do them together, you run the risk of burning the garlic which will make it bitter.

 

 

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