Ingredients
- 11 oz casarecce pasta
- 2 round purple eggplants
- 3 oz salted ricotta
- ½ cup coarse salt (for purging eggplants)
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3.3 lbs ripe ribbed tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- Fine salt, to taste
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Preparation
Start with the eggplants: wash and trim them, then cut into cubes. Place in a colander, sprinkle generously with salt, and let them drain for 30 minutes with a weighted plate on top to help extract the bitter juices.
After resting, brush off the salt and pat the eggplants dry with paper towels.
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed, deep pot and deep-fry the eggplant in batches to maintain the oil temperature. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
For the sauce, roughly chop the tomatoes and place them in a pot with olive oil, peeled garlic, basil, and salt. Cover and simmer over low heat until the tomatoes break down completely. Pass everything through a food mill to remove the skins, then return the smooth sauce to the pot.
Cook the pasta until just al dente, then drain and add to the pot with the tomato sauce. Toss everything together over high heat for a couple of minutes until well combined.
Serve in individual bowls, topping each portion with a generous helping of fried eggplant and plenty of grated salted ricotta. Finish with some fresh basil leaves, torn by hand.
