PASTA WITH CHERRY TOMATO AND EGGPLANT CREAM Attention because the dish I am talking about today is one of those bomb dishes that, once tried, you will remake countless times! To prepare this recipe, you need a few ingredients, but all easily available, and you can also organize yourself a bit in advance for the preparation so you do not spend too much time in the kitchen! But now follow me in the kitchen, I’ll explain how to prepare pasta with cherry tomato and eggplant cream!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 606.83 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 85.47 (g) of which sugars 12.37 (g)
- Proteins 26.78 (g)
- Fat 19.87 (g) of which saturated 6.37 (g)of which unsaturated 10.74 (g)
- Fibers 5.54 (g)
- Sodium 982.30 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 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 for pasta with cherry tomato and eggplant cream for 4 people
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 eggplant (medium-sized)
- 14 oz fusilli
- 3.5 oz pancetta (diced)
- 1.5 oz almonds
- 3.5 oz ricotta
- 3 tbsps pecorino romano (grated)
- 4 leaves basil
Tools
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 Immersion Blender
- 1 Frying Pan sauté pan
Preparation of pasta with cherry tomato and eggplant cream
As mentioned at the beginning, there are a few steps to prepare this recipe, but you can also organize yourself a bit in advance. If you have an air fryer, you’ll save a lot of time; otherwise, you’ll need to bake the tomatoes and fry the cubed eggplant, but let’s take it step by step and proceed with the preparation of the cherry tomato cream!
Wash, dry, and cut the cherry tomatoes in half, then drizzle them with oil, a pinch of salt, and plenty of oregano, and cook them in the oven at 392°F for 18 minutes or in the air fryer at 383°F for about 10 minutes.
Once the cherry tomatoes are cooked, transfer them to a large container, add the ricotta, almonds, washed and dried basil leaves, pecorino, and a pinch of salt (always taste to adjust) and a tablespoon of oil.
Using an immersion blender, blend all the ingredients until you get a grainy cream, taste it to adjust the salt, and then set it aside.
Cut an eggplant into slices about 0.75 inches thick, then cube them, drizzle with oil, and cook in the air fryer at 374°F for about 15 minutes, remembering to shake the basket occasionally for even cooking. If you don’t have an air fryer, fry the eggplant in plenty of hot oil and then blot with absorbent paper, adding salt only at the end.
In a small pan, brown the pancetta with a teaspoon of oil, cook over high heat until golden and crispy, and set aside.
Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water, 2 minutes before the cooking time indicated on the package, drain it, remembering to set aside a ladle of cooking water, then put the pasta back in the pot, add the cherry tomato cream, fried eggplant, and pancetta, and mix quickly over the stove. If the cream dries out too much, add some of the reserved cooking water.
Here our pasta with cherry tomato and eggplant cream is ready to be enjoyed in all its goodness, rush to the table because it should be eaten very hot!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here you will find the most frequently asked questions I have received about preparing this recipe. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to write to me!
I don’t have pancetta, what can I substitute it with?
With diced guanciale cooked in a pan without adding anything, or with crumbled sausage sautéed in a pan with a little oil.
I don’t like pecorino, what can I substitute it with?
Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano would work just fine.
If I want to prepare in advance, what timing should I follow?
You can make the cherry tomato cream a few hours in advance and, once cooled, let it rest in the fridge covered well. Pancetta and eggplant can be cooked even an hour ahead and kept out of the fridge, this way you can organize yourself best to serve your pasta with cherry tomato and eggplant cream without too many hiccups!
