New Books for Cooks: ‘Carmine’s Celebrates’
NEW BOOKS FOR COOKS
PASTA WITH ROASTED EGGPLANT AND MOZZARELLA
1 cup olive oil (divided use)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt (divided use)
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper (divided use)
1¼ pounds eggplant, cut into 1½-inch wedges
¼ cup sliced fresh garlic
2 ounces pancetta, julienned
4 cloves roasted garlic
1 cup julienned red onion
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup white wine
1 28-ounce can whole, peeled Italian plum tomatoes
12 ounces penne
3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
2 ounces oil-cured black olives, pitted and halved
6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Lightly coat the eggplant with this mixture. Spread the eggplant out on a sheet pan and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until evenly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the remaining olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and pancetta and saute until browned. Add the roasted garlic, onion, basil and parsley and saute for 2 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the wine and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes more.
Cook the pasta to al dente. Add the remaining salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, Romano cheese and olives to the pan of tomato sauce. Add the hot, drained pasta to the sauce and toss to coat well. Fold in the mozzarella and spread out on a serving platter.
Arrange the roasted eggplant wedges on top of the pasta, garnish with the parsley and serve.
Serves 4 to 6.
Recipe from “Carmine’s Celebrates” by Glenn Rolnick with Chris Peterson (St. Martin’s Press; $29.99)
— Heidi Knapp Rinella
