I’ve kept this recipe for quite a while, waiting to have the right ingredients and the right mood to cook it. Just by reading the description line by line, I already know this one is going to be an unbelievably gorgeous pasta. Check the recipe HERE.
Strange how a woman’s tastebuds can change drastically while she’s pregnant. I’m more of a curry person – or anything with strong asian flavours food. Not so much of a pasta person. It’s so easy to cook them but I won’t enjoy it as much as other asian food. But lately, anything Italian sounds sooo good…. either the hormone or the baby’s talking. This is probably the first time I cook pasta and actually enjoy it to the last bite.
*You should’ve seen Michael, still in his business suit and tie, sneaked back into the kitchen for a second helping…….*
The recipe is based on an original Sicilian eggplant pasta, signature dish of La Trattoria, a well known South Italian restaurant in Geneve. The secret is all the fresh ingredients – and that garlic oil. Original recipe uses minced meat, Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese. We’re trying to cut down those fatty intake and just stick to the fresh vegetables. You know what, we still end up with a really yummy pasta.
PENNE alla SICILIANA
(recipe for lunch, enough for 2 pax)
Ingredients:
* Italian pasta: penne/maccaroni
* 1 large eggplants, diced finger size
* 1 bellpepper (oven roasted)
* sundried tomatoes
* 5-8 garlic, crushed
* 200 gr canned tomato pasta/fresh
* fresh basil
* olive oil
* 1 pc large onion, diced
Cooking directions:
1.) Stir fry crushed garlic in olive oil until turning light yellow. Do not overcook!
2.) Cook eggplant in drizzles of garlic oil. Keep tossing till the moist is gone & turn nice brownish color
3.) Boil the pasta until soft enough. Drain, sprinkle with garlic oil
4.) Cook onions until they tender & become transparent
5.) Add crushed tomatoes/canned tomato pasta + a cup of water
Let it simmer for 15 mnts then add chopped fresh basil
6.) Roast bellpeppers till skin blisters. Peel & remove seeds. Cut into finger size. Mix into tomato sauce
7.) Mix in cooked eggplants, add chopped sundried tomatoes, lightly fried garlic and chopped basil
8.) Serve with drizzles of garlic oil
Verdict: guarantee of the second helping. There won’t be any leftovers. Trust me 
