Pasta dishes
Maccheroncini with Eggplant, Ossocollo, and Smoked Ricotta
03
Jul
Jul
Today, we focus on a special ingredient: the eggplant. Whether it’s stuffed and fried in the Messina style, filled with tuna and cheese as they do in Sardinia, or in the classic parmigiana, the eggplant offers endless possibilities. On this day, I propose a delightful fresh pasta dish with eggplants.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 350 g of maccheroncini al ferretto
- 1 eggplant
- 450 g of plum tomatoes
- 80 g of mozzarella / 50 g of parmesan
- 50 g of guanciale and 50 g of ossocollo
- 1 onion / 1 garlic clove / 1 hot chili pepper / 1 bunch of basil
- 4 tablespoons of red wine
- Aged smoked ricotta
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
- Clean the eggplant, cut it into cubes, and fry them in plenty of vegetable oil; drain and let them dry on kitchen paper.
- Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, immerse them in cold water to stop the cooking, peel them, remove the seeds, and cut them into pieces.
- Peel the onion and garlic, chop them with chili pepper, and sauté everything in a pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Add the ossocollo and guanciale cut into cubes, sauté for a few minutes, then deglaze with the wine. Once evaporated, add the tomatoes and continue cooking for 5 minutes, finishing with the eggplant cubes and the torn basil.
- Cook the maccheroncini in plenty of salted boiling water, drain, and toss them in the pan with the sauce, adding the mozzarella cut into pieces and the grated parmesan.
- Plate the pasta and finish with a generous grating of aged smoked ricotta and serve immediately
Wine Pairing
To enhance this dish, I would recommend a fresh and light red wine, such as a Negroamaro, served cold. Rosé wines made from Montepulciano, Merlot, or Zweigelt grapes also make excellent pairings. With summer approaching, a sparkling Oltrepò Pavese might tantalize your palate.
ciao
Elisa
