Pasta with Eggplant Pesto
Ingredients
Bucatini (1 lb.)
Eggplant (~1 lb.)
Basil (1/4-1/3 cup)
Flat Italian Parsley (1/4 cup)
Fresh Oregano (1 tbsp.)
Walnuts (3/4 cup chopped)
Garlic (2-3 cloves)
Tomatoes (1 tomato diced)
Parmesan Reggiano (1/4-1/3 cup grated)
Pepper
Salt
Vito and Joe’s Olive Oil
How to Prepare
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Start heating your salted water in a pot until it reaches a rapid boil.
Cut your eggplant in half then cut the top off each side.
Place your 2 halves of eggplant on a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes.
In a cast iron pan toast your walnuts.
Remove the leaves of oregano from the stem (1 tbsp.).
Gather your 1/3 cup of basil leaves and set them aside with the oregano.
Run a knife across your parsley until you have your 1/4 cup. Go through and pull your stems out.
Peel your garlic.
Grate your parmesan cheese.
Dice your tomato and set them aside in a measuring cup. This allows the moisture to work it’s way out so you can grab the tomatoes on top that aren’t moist.
Once the water reaches a boil, add your bucatini. Then stir.
In a food processor combine the garlic, 1/4 tsp. of salt, and 1 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper. Then pulse.
Add your walnuts to the food processor, then pulse.
Remove the flesh of the eggplant from the skin. Use a spoon to add the flesh into the food processor. Then pulse.
Add the parsley, basil, and oregano into the processor then pulse for 30-40 seconds. While doing then scrape the sides down once or twice.
Add your cheese and then pulse for 30 seconds. Then add 2-3 tbsp. of olive oil and pulse again for 15 seconds.
When the pasta is cooked to al dente take it out of the water and place it into your dish that has 1-1.5 tbsp. of olive oil at the bottom. Then stir.
Add ~2/3 of your pesto to the pasta and gently stir the pasta with your tongs.
Add your tomatoes around the outside at a garnish then grate some parmesan over the top of the dish. Finish the dish off with a little more parsley.
Enjoy!