Spaghetti With Spicy Eggplant

Cristina Ceccatelli Cook grew up in Tuscany, but after falling in love with an American, she moved to Sun Valley, Idaho, where she opened Cristina's Restaurant 15 years ago. She re-creates the restaurant's classic Italian dishes in Cristina's Tuscan Table, her second cookbook. This is a quote which she wrote in the book - "no man is lonely while eating spaghetti - it requires too much attention." :)

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• SPAGHETTI WITH SPICY EGGPLANT

• 2  medium eggplants, skins on, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 1  tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1⁄4 cups extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 4  cups  diced fresh tomatoes
• 10  canned  piquillo peppers or 3  roasted sweet peppers, skins and seeds removed, cut in 1/2-inch strips
• 2  tablespoons  minced garlic or 2  tablespoons roasted garlic
• 2  cups salsa, rossa or 2  cups canned tomato sauce
• 1  cup fresh basil leaves, cut in strips or 1 -2  tablespoon  italian seasoning
• 1  pinch hot red pepper flakes (or more)
• 2  tablespoons  fresh oregano leaves
• 2  tablespoons  chopped Italian parsley
• 1  lb spaghetti
•  shaved parmigiano

• SALSA ROSSA

• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  lb  very ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 4  garlic cloves, minced or 4  roasted garlic
• 1  pinch hot red pepper flakes (or more)
• 10  fresh basil leaves, chopped (we omitted it) or 1 -2  tablespoon  italian seasoning
•  salt, to taste
•  fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. SPAGHETTI AND SPICY EGGPLANT:
2. Place eggplant in colander, sprinkle with salt, and let rest for one hour.
3. Pat eggplant dry. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil on high.
4. Add in one layer of eggplant and cook until crispy on one side; do not stir.
5. Turn to crisp other side.
6. Eggplant will shrink and crisp.
7. Repeat until all the eggplant is crispy.
8. In a wide pot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil, add diced tomatoes and peppers, and cook on high, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
9. Lower heat, add garlic, and cook for 2 more minutes.
10. Add eggplant and Salsa Rossa, and cook, stirring gently a couple of times.
11. Add basil Italian seasoning (if using), red pepper flakes, oregano, and parsley.
12. In a large pot, bring salted water to boil and cook spaghetti until al dente.
13. Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking water.
14. Add pasta to sauce and cook over high heat 2 to 3 minutes, adding a little pasta water if needed to keep everything juicy.
15. Serve with shaved Parmigiano, a nice salad and why not some chianti?.
16. SALSA ROSSA:
17. Heat the olive oil in a skillet.
18. Add tomatoes, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and sauté until tomatoes are soft.
19. Stir in fresh basil, and add salt and pepper to taste.
20. Puree or leave chunky.