With eggplant from Redland Organic’s summer sales, William and I went on a two-day eggplant binge, starting with Moroccan Chicken with Eggplant, Tomatoes and Almonds from epicurious.com. We’re not big chicken fans, but the dish’s spice-heavy liquid (tomatoes + paprika, turmeric, coriander, fennel seeds, pepper, cumin and ginger) simmered once-bland chicken thighs in a seductive Middle Eastern bath. In my beautiful but underused tagine, I made a half batch of the recipe with double the eggplant and crunchy, toasted almonds. We had more than enough for four heaping portions.
This meal is low-fat (by my standards, at least) and light. We paired it with simple piles of couscous for dinner and big hunks of bread for sopping the next day at lunch.
On day two, I made a massive pot of Eggplant Pasta with Gorgonzola based on a recipe from thekitchn.com. The velvety sauce is imbued with an unmistakable funk of blue cheese. An Occasional Omnivore first, I used less cheese than the original recipe called for. A little gorgonzola carries a ton of flavor weight, and I didn’t want the eggplant to get lost in a cheesy mess.
The eggplants in this dish are roasted instead of fried, which cuts prep time and clean up. And the underdog of the meal is a garnish of chopped parsley. It does more than sit pretty for photos. By sprinkling it on at the end, the grassy herb serves as a fresh foil to the rich gorgonzola.
If you’re looking for a quick, quirky alternative to pasta alla norma or eggplant parm, this is it.
Eggplant Pasta with Gorgonzola
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium eggplants
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup packed basil, thinly sliced
1 pound fettucine
Salt and pepper
6 ounces gorgonzola, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. Toss eggplant with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the eggplant onto a large, rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast until eggplant are tender and light golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salty water to a boil. Also, heat remaining olive oil in a large pot, add onions, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until they begin to caramelize. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Stir in mushrooms, crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and basil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add pasta to boiling water, and cook according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, add roasted eggplant to sauce, and continue to simmer, at least five minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Add water to the sauce, along with pasta and gorgonzola. Toss the pasta to coat it with the sauce. Divide pasta onto plates, and sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 5 to 6