I happened to get a largish eggplant at a roadside stand and then I saw this video. I made it basically the way this video shows, and it was EXCELLENT!!! For me, it seemed that the depth of flavor came from caramelizing the eggplant pieces. I didn't bother with the salting and stacking the eggplant, and I didn't use basil and oregano either. It made 2 very generous servings. I will definitely make this again.
Maybe not necessarily for a pasta sauce, but I always like cooking down zucchini and onions. Dice and roast in the oven at 350 for an hour or more with plenty of olive oil and some seasoning and both veggies just break down into super soft and flavorful pieces with some nice caramelization in there as well.
I love zucchini cooked down for pasta sauce I just do olive oil garlic zucchini and a bit of lemon juice at the end, a splash of white wine takes it up a notch if you have it, as does parmesan or fresh parsley/basil
I think porcini mushrooms with walnut paste might be nice. Love the idea of this. Hmmm, I bet puréed seasoned oatmeal or grits with collards, kale, or okra would make a bomb sauce.
we have been making this sauce for 40yrs. we 1st made it without the tomatoes and it was used for dips too. Adding Parm & sharp Provolone cheese, really up the game on Rustic bread, pasta, crackers,, veggies, etc. A very dear friend did not like eggplant but loved garlic so he had no clue it was eggplant he was gobbling up LOL. We used lots of olive oil while sauteing that it would cover the top of the eggplant garlic paste we would jar up a few and preserve it longer if it indeed last that long :)
Zucchini! I did something like this the summer of 1970-something, when I couldn't get my zukes picked fast enough. It's not very good when it gets this big, but I slowly cooked it down into a sauce with oil, salt, and pepper. It took a bit of liquid at the very start but made plenty of its own juice as it cooked. It makes a base to add any other kinds of herbs and veggies, nuts, ground meat, etc, and it freezes well, too.
@Kristen Miglore Thanks right back! Well, you remember when you invent something nobody ever heard of, don't you? I also just remembered that I allowed a LOT of garlic to melt into this sauce as it cooked down. Probably why people liked it. I was very young and just couldn't afford to waste so much food. But it was years before I wanted to see another zucchini. PS love your work and welcome to California.
Might try this! I'm sort of a grilled eggplant fanatic, but I think you (and Francis) convinced me to let the eggplant do what it wants to do! 🤣 Question about the knife you're using in this vid--which one is it??
I have been seeking a pasta and eggplant recipe ever since a restaurant that has since closed had this on the menu. It is my absolute favorite. I got it every time I went to this restaurant. I have found nothing like it. EVER. Anywhere. It seems to be a bit like a Pasta Alla Norma but with cubed eggplant and finished with a bright squeeze of lemon and dusted with fresh parsley. Does not seem to have the heaviness of a classic Pasta Alla Norma.
"Vegetable-like fruits" is weird, because, like...a lot of vegetables are fruits, botanically speaking. Eggplants, all squash, tomatoes, tons of stuff. We as a society just messed up and used the word "fruit" to mean two different things. Just use the culinary definitions, and call eggplant a vegetable.
@@GrumpetteJV over the years i've revisited eggplant and each time wondered why people bother with it. that's my explanation, not from a book. who are you, the comment nazis?
@@hopegold883 In both Baba Ganoush and Baingan Bharta the eggplant is roasted and its skin is removed. It will take another 10 years for him to come up with that, I guess. Not hating. But his "breakthrough" felt so weirdl! I mean that's exactly how eggplants are cooked literally everywhere!!
I also made it last night without sun-dried tomatoes or basil. I added some balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and dried oregano. It did not have enough flavor. Someone here mentioned first getting the eggplant to be very well fried and golden, before adding the water. Maybe that helps to add more flavor.
What veggie would you use this technique on? Let us know!
Zucchini would be great! This recipe reminds me of Meghan Markle’s zucchini pasta sauce recipe.
@@ashleymills4233 Yum that sounds delicious!!
Love eggplant.
This method is also EXCELLENT for fruit sauces and jams. Simply cut the water down and add a some booze!
summer squash, cause tons of it
I happened to get a largish eggplant at a roadside stand and then I saw this video. I made it basically the way this video shows, and it was EXCELLENT!!! For me, it seemed that the depth of flavor came from caramelizing the eggplant pieces. I didn't bother with the salting and stacking the eggplant, and I didn't use basil and oregano either. It made 2 very generous servings. I will definitely make this again.
Maybe not necessarily for a pasta sauce, but I always like cooking down zucchini and onions. Dice and roast in the oven at 350 for an hour or more with plenty of olive oil and some seasoning and both veggies just break down into super soft and flavorful pieces with some nice caramelization in there as well.
I love zucchini cooked down for pasta sauce I just do olive oil garlic zucchini and a bit of lemon juice at the end, a splash of white wine takes it up a notch if you have it, as does parmesan or fresh parsley/basil
I think porcini mushrooms with walnut paste might be nice. Love the idea of this. Hmmm, I bet puréed seasoned oatmeal or grits with collards, kale, or okra would make a bomb sauce.
we have been making this sauce for 40yrs. we 1st made it without the tomatoes and it was used for dips too. Adding Parm & sharp Provolone cheese, really up the game on Rustic bread, pasta, crackers,, veggies, etc. A very dear friend did not like eggplant but loved garlic so he had no clue it was eggplant he was gobbling up LOL. We used lots of olive oil while sauteing that it would cover the top of the eggplant garlic paste we would jar up a few and preserve it longer if it indeed last that long :)
The fact that Food52 has Kristen, who is basically an Elven princess, just further augments the channel's coolness.
Just made this dish as per the recipe for the second time - delicious! I used a pastry cutter to mash up the eggplant - works great!
Oh, I already did this so many times with zucchini 😲 (I usually cook it with the rice cooker, takes about 30-45 minutes to cook a big one).
Zucchini! I did something like this the summer of 1970-something, when I couldn't get my zukes picked fast enough. It's not very good when it gets this big, but I slowly cooked it down into a sauce with oil, salt, and pepper. It took a bit of liquid at the very start but made plenty of its own juice as it cooked. It makes a base to add any other kinds of herbs and veggies, nuts, ground meat, etc, and it freezes well, too.
@Kristen Miglore Thanks right back! Well, you remember when you invent something nobody ever heard of, don't you? I also just remembered that I allowed a LOT of garlic to melt into this sauce as it cooked down. Probably why people liked it. I was very young and just couldn't afford to waste so much food. But it was years before I wanted to see another zucchini. PS love your work and welcome to California.
Summer of 1970! Rock on …
This is amazing and lovely, as always. I love your home kitchen sessions.
I love pasta in the summertime. Looks delicious!
Might try this! I'm sort of a grilled eggplant fanatic, but I think you (and Francis) convinced me to let the eggplant do what it wants to do! 🤣 Question about the knife you're using in this vid--which one is it??
I have been seeking a pasta and eggplant recipe ever since a restaurant that has since closed had this on the menu. It is my absolute favorite. I got it every time I went to this restaurant. I have found nothing like it. EVER. Anywhere. It seems to be a bit like a Pasta Alla Norma but with cubed eggplant and finished with a bright squeeze of lemon and dusted with fresh parsley. Does not seem to have the heaviness of a classic Pasta Alla Norma.
Anyone who has been cooking Italian food should know that you use pasta water as a thickener for your sauce.
Looks super tasty... 😸👍... Definitely gotta try recreating....
That looks yummy. Definitely gonna give it a try.
Wao ooooooo such an awesome sharing 👍💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🇺🇸
I have to try this! My mouth is watering🤤 eggplant is so underrated in the US!
Agreed!
Hmmmmm….I sense an announcement coming soon. 💕
I like making pasta sauce from butternut squash.
What are the bottle caps for on the side of your fridge?
Any idea for a sun dried tomato sub in this recipe?
I love making a sauce out of slow-cooked zucchini.
Makes me want to eat pasta! 😍
ironically, me watching this while eating leftover grilled eggplant
well atleast i can use the leftover mush for a pasta sauce this week!
Cut the eggplant thinner and use a weight
I saw a recipe using eggplant and tomato sauce.
What make of knife are you using?
should have added pasta water to the dish
Stacking the eggplant makes absolutely no difference. I even tested it because I have a boring life
Woot
"Vegetable-like fruits" is weird, because, like...a lot of vegetables are fruits, botanically speaking. Eggplants, all squash, tomatoes, tons of stuff. We as a society just messed up and used the word "fruit" to mean two different things. Just use the culinary definitions, and call eggplant a vegetable.
what's the allure of eggplant?
When it's fresh and not too old, it is SO delicious. I really like the Asian varieties.
She literally reads out of a book, to explain why eggplant is so special. Don't comment if you haven't even watched the video!
@@GrumpetteJV over the years i've revisited eggplant and each time wondered why people bother with it. that's my explanation, not from a book. who are you, the comment nazis?
Doesn't the skin make to bitter or a tough element?
No, it cooks right down. So long as your heat isn’t too high.
Nope! If the eggplant is bitter, it's probably more that it got picked a little overripe.
Zucchini
Pasta looks dry not silky
Omg! Just look up the recipe for Baingan Bharta which literally translates to mushed eggplant . 🙄
Baingan bharta is so yummy!!
I know bengan bartha, baba ganoush. Francis is awesome, but maybe a mistake to present it like he invented the idea of cooking eggplant down. 🤭
@@hopegold883 Exactly!! And ....Baba Ganoush! Yum! Haven't had it in such a long time !
@@hopegold883 In both Baba Ganoush and Baingan Bharta the eggplant is roasted and its skin is removed. It will take another 10 years for him to come up with that, I guess. Not hating. But his "breakthrough" felt so weirdl! I mean that's exactly how eggplants are cooked literally everywhere!!
They talked more than she did the cooking!!
Made this last night. It was bland. Followed recipe exactly. Very disappointing.
I also made it last night without sun-dried tomatoes or basil. I added some balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and dried oregano. It did not have enough flavor. Someone here mentioned first getting the eggplant to be very well fried and golden, before adding the water. Maybe that helps to add more flavor.
"mY cUlTuRe AlReAdY dOeS tHiS rEcIpE, hE nOt GeNiUs" Do any of y'all know shutting up is free?
So disappointed! It had very little flavor. Maybe it was just a bland eggplant.
I tried, but that vocal fry is brutal. I guess it sounds fine to her peers.
This video was very dragged out. Another 5 min could have edited out.
You said "any vegetable" then show only eggplant which I don't like at all. Boooooooo
It's the same procedure.. Cook to mush.