Eggplant Pesto Preserve
Traditional and Bimby Recipe.
Great for pasta or spreading on crostini and bruschette.
Easy to make, you can store it in the freezer or in a jar after pasteurization.
You only need a few ingredients, the rest is up to you.
If you want a vegan pesto, you can add almonds before blending; for a vegetarian option, you can add Parmesan, Grana, or ricotta.
Cheeses should be added only at the time of use, so if you store the eggplant pesto in a jar, do not season it immediately, but at the time of use.
If you want to store it in the fridge or freezer, you can season it immediately.
A 200g jar can season up to 500g of pasta.
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- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 5
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Slow Fire, Other
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 100.35 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 4.78 (g) of which sugars 2.63 (g)
- Proteins 0.75 (g)
- Fat 9.46 (g) of which saturated 1.36 (g)of which unsaturated 0.06 (g)
- Fibers 2.06 (g)
- Sodium 81.64 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Let’s go shopping
- 2 oz golden onion
- 2/3 lbs eggplant (with skin)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 10 leaves basil
- Half teaspoon salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 1/4 cups water
Eggplant Pesto Preserve
Tools
What we need to make
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Pan or the Bimby
- 1 Pot
- 2 Jars with 200 ml lid
- 2 Dish towels
Steps
Let’s go to the kitchen
Classic recipe in a pan.
Peel the onion and roughly chop it.
In a pan, place the olive oil and onion, and sauté for about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash and remove the stem from the eggplant, and cut it into 1/2 inch cubes.
After cutting the eggplant, add it to the sautéing onion, adjust with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After the time has passed, pour in the water, stir, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.Now let it cool slightly and add the basil.
Blend everything with an immersion blender.
Cut the onion in half, and place it in the bowl: 8 sec speed 5. Collect with a spatula, pour the oil and flavor for 3 min. at 230°F speed 1.
Add the eggplant cubes, half a teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper.
Sauté for 4 min. at 212°F reverse speed 1 with the basket instead of the measuring cup. Pour 2 glasses of water, close the lid, and always place the basket instead of the measuring cup. Cook for 20 min. at 212°F reverse speed 1.
At the end of cooking, let it cool slightly, then add the basil and blend with the measuring cup for 12 sec. speed 6.
Pour the eggplant pesto into the sterilized jar.
Wrap the jar in dish towels and place it in a pot with water.
Bring to a boil and from the moment it starts, calculate 30 minutes.
Let the jar cool and store it in the cellar or in a cool, dry place.
Storage notes and variations
Eggplant Pesto Preserve
Storage:
It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months, even without pasteurization,
In the pantry or cellar, you can store it only after pasteurization for up to 1 year.
Once opened or defrosted, the jar should be consumed within 24 hours.
Notes: In traditional cooking, you can increase the quantities of ingredients as desired, but in the Bimby cooking, you are subject to the bowl’s capacity, so you can only double the quantities.
It is highly recommended to check the vacuum seal success by pressing the center of the lid. If it makes no “click-clack” noise, the vacuum was successful. Otherwise, it is advisable not to store, but to consume the content within 2 hours.
When sealed, the jars last for about 6 months. Once opened, it is advisable to consume them as quickly as possible (2-3 days at most) while keeping them in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life.
WARNING
NOTE: Some food preservation systems for long periods, like in this case, require precise precautions to avoid the development of bacteria harmful to our health. Please ensure: when you decide to prepare this type of recipe, make sure to follow all the correct procedures and preparation methods.
Variations: You can replace the onion with garlic, and the basil with mint.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Eggplant Pesto Preserve
Can I add other vegetables?
Yes, you can add tomatoes or zucchini and proceed in the same way as indicated above.
Can I use other vegetables with this recipe?
Yes, in the same way, you can make zucchini pesto.
