rigatoni with roasted eggplant purée rigatoni con crema di melanzane

By stancec44

Eggplant gets roasted, chopped and mixed with garlic, pine nuts, and parsley in a perfect pasta for fall.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds eggplant
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pound rigatoni
• Freshly grated Grana Padano or Pecorino Toscano cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 400º with rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut eggplants in half lengthwise; score flesh-sides in a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil and season with generous pinch salt and pepper. Arrange eggplant cut-side down on prepared baking sheet and bake, rotating pan once halfway through, until tender, 45 to 50 minutes.

Transfer baking sheet with roasted eggplant to wire rack. Turn eggplant halves cut-side up; let cool 5 minutes, then scrape eggplant flesh from skins; discard skins. Place flesh in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl; let drain 10 minutes. Discard liquid.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In center of cutting board, mound parsley, pine nuts, garlic and oregano; finely chop together mixture.

In a large skillet, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add parsley mixture, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Stir in eggplant and cook 1 minute more. Remove skillet from heat.

Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente; drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add eggplant mixture and cheese; toss to combine well. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately.