Recipe by Paola Bacchia
Picture courtesy of Paola Bacchia

In the previous, eggplant was salted earlier than utilizing to take away bitterness—although most eggplants offered by greengrocers as of late usually are not actually bitter.

That stated, I nonetheless salt the diced eggplant for this recipe, as I discover it’s an effective way of seasoning the dish. It does take a while, so be happy to omit this step.

This dish makes a predominant meal for vegetarians, a considerable facet dish, and may also be used as a base for a few batches of pasta. It may also be halved and utilized in a risotto for 4 individuals.

• 2 eggplants (aubergines), about 2 lbs. in whole
  

• 1 tbsp. salt, for salting the eggplant
  

• 3 tbsp. further virgin olive oil
  

• 1 small white onion, diced
  

• 1 garlic clove, finely diced
  

• 1–2 pink bell peppers (capsicums), reduce into ¾–1¼ in. cube
  

• 15½ oz. tinned peeled tomatoes
  

• 2–3 basil stalks
  

Directions:

1. Lower the eggplant into 1¼–1½ inch chunks. Place in a big bowl and toss with the salt, rubbing it into the eggplant items together with your fingertips. Put aside on a wire rack to empty for about 45 minutes. Rinse beneath operating water and pat dry.
2. Heat the olive oil in a big frying pan over medium–low warmth. Saute the onion with a great pinch of salt for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic. After a minute or two, when aromatic, add the eggplant and bell pepper to warmth by means of.
3. Add the tomatoes, breaking any bigger ones into smaller items with a picket spoon. Rinse the tomato tin with a number of tablespoons of water and add that to the frying pan as effectively, together with the basil stalks.
4. As soon as the whole lot is effervescent away, cut back the warmth and put the lid on. Simmer for about 45 minutes, including a splash extra water if wanted, or till the eggplant is cooked by means of however not completely collapsed. Style for salt, particularly in case you omitted salting the eggplant items earlier; in case you did salt the eggplant, it’s possible you’ll not want any further salt.
5. Take away the basil stalks and serve heat. Any leftovers will maintain in a ceramic or glass lidded container within the fridge for as much as 1 week.

Excerpted from At Nonna’s Desk by Paola Bacchia, printed by Smith Avenue Books, 2024. Images by © Paola Bacchia.