Refreshing Pasta Salad with Eggplant Cream
I like to prepare pasta salads with some special cream, either a vegetable or pesto, because I can use a little oil and add more flavor. To make this pasta salad I used Sicilian eggplants but you can also use regular dark purple eggplants. But before I share with you my pasta salad recipe I would like to talk a little about the eggplant cream and how I make my own using fresh basil. Basil is my favorite of all the Italian herbs and I use in a majority of my recipes: because it brings out freshness and flavor to everything and I just love the color.
It's Summertime and Eggplants are in Season so why not make a cream of Eggplants that can be used to create pasta dishes like the recipe I will be talking about soon or use the cream as a spread for Bruschetta or crostini , or even incorporated when making savory fritters. When I make eggplant fritters, in addition to using diced eggplants I also add a tablespoon or two of eggplant cream to the mixture just to bring out that extra flavor, which I love.
The cream of eggplant is very easy to make and only requires about 20 minutes time. You can enrich the cream with sesame, mustard or anthing that inspires you.
Eggplant Cream Recipe
Preperation: easy 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1/1/2 pounds of eggplants
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1-3 basil leaves
Salt & Pepper
Wash the eggplants and cut into small cubes.
In a pan saute a clove of garlic.
Add the eggplant and a little salt.
Cover, cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Eggplants should hunt its own water, but if you see that they are sticking, add a little water. Let cook for about ten minutes.
Remove the garlic and place the eggplants in a blender with chopped basil and a bit 'of pepper and blend all together until creamy. Can be served as a spread on crostini, bruschetta or added to pasta salads or use in your own dishes.
Pasta Salad with Eggplant Cream
Preperation: Easy 25 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
8 oz. of short (rigatoni or penne or fusilli)
Eggplant Cream ( Use as much as you like keeping in mind not to overpower the dish)
10-12 grape tomatoes
A handful of Arugula
3 oz. of Feta cheese
10 or less black olives (optional)
Salt and Pepper
Once you have prepared your eggplant cream you can proceed by cooking the pasta in boiling salted water. It's important to add salt to the water before it boils never during or after you've added the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente ( to the bite) no one like mushy pasta.
Drain and let cool. Tip: mixing the pasta with a little oil will keep it from sticking
Add the cream of eggplant, tomatoes cut in half , feta, cut into cubes, a bit 'of salt and pepper.
Mix and add the arugula and if you prefer black olives and mix again and serve your pasta salad.
The pasta salad can made a day or hours in advance and leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days.
By making the pasta salad a few hours in advance and allowing it to settle, the results will be a refreshing falvorful and "Can I have more pasta salad".
Buon Appetito!
Italian Foodista
