Spaghetti With Spicy Eggplant

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 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
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb very ripe tomato, 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

Recipe

• 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.