Orecchiette with sweet peppers and eggplants
( Orecchiette melanzane e peperoni)

Recipe for orecchiette with sweet pepper and eggplant sauce

Preparation and cooking

• - Prepare all vegetables.
  Clean, wash and pat dry eggplants.
  Clean, cut into quarters, wash and pat dry sweet peppers.
  Wash and pat dry cherry tomatoes. Cut them into two to three pieces.
  Clean and chop onions finely.
  
• - Fry eggplants and sweet peppers.
  Heat peanut oil.
  Meanwhile, cut eggplants into 1 centimeter thick slices.
  Fry eggplants, one to two minutes (time depends on their thickness), and transfer them on absorbent kitchen paper so as to make more layers, separated by more sheets. Below, you can find the link to see photos on this step.
  Then cut sweet pepper quarters into strips. fry them, 1 minute.
  Absorb the oil in excess in the same way.
• - Prepare pasta sauce.
  Place olive oil, onions, chilli and anchovy fillets in a non-stick frying pan. Fry all on very low heat, stirring frequently, few minutes.
  Add tomatoes and capers and continue cooking, stirring now and then.
• - Cook pasta.
  Meanwhile bring to a boil abundant salt water and cook orecchiette to al dente stage, following the instructions on the package.
  Part of the cooking water will serve to you (a little ladle or two) to complete the cooking of tomatoes. In the ladle of boiling water remeber to dilute tomato paste too.
• - The last step.
  Just before turning off the stove, add eggplants, peppers and chives.
  Season to taste with salt, stir and turn off the stove.

Just before serving

• - Drain orecchiette and transfer them into the pan with the sauce.
  Let all flavor, stirring continuosly but with delicacy, a minute.
  Serve hot or warm.
  Place a bowl full of grated Parmigiano or Pecorino on the table. Everyone will serve himself according to his own taste.

Note

Tips

• - Choose the right variety of ingredients to have the best result.
• - Add chilli only if you like it.
• - Add garlic too, if you like it. If you do not find spring onions, replace them with 80 grams (2.8 ounces) of onions or a piece of shallot.

Menu planning

• - Orecchiette flavored with fried eggplant and peppers are ideal in the months of August, September and October.
• - Prepare this dish for your family menu (not often seen that it is a high-calorie dish) or when you have guests. For your family menu, I recommend to add only fresh seasonal fruit to complete your meal.
• - It is impossible to calculate calories, fat, carbo and proteins. In fact, it is very difficult to know the right amount of oil absorbed in frying.

Useful links for this recipe

• - Follow the link if you want to see the photos of fried vegetables.

Loretta

What's the right wine for " Orecchiette with sweet peppers and eggplants "?

Pair a young red wine or a rosè wine.