Cook from day 1 to 3
Our test kitchen came up with the idea to pair this with shrimp: tender, creamy eggplant offers a gorgeous contrast, both playing effortlessly with garlic, tomato, and olive oil...
The experiment turned out to be more than a success—it is an absolute must-repeat. Buon appetito!
P—33, F—10, C—58
Gluten
- Olive oil
- Frying pan (or two, see Tips)
- Pot for cooking pasta
- If you have two frying pans, you can run steps 2 and 3 at the same time to shave off a few minutes.
- Save half a cup of pasta water when draining spaghetti. Its starch helps emulsify olive oil and sauce into a rich, glossy coating that clings effortlessly to spaghetti.
- Prep ingredients
Finely dice red onion, cut eggplant into 1–1,5 cm cubes, coarsely chop garlic.
Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt generously.
2. Sear shrimp
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add garlic.
Cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes.
Put spaghetti into boiling water, give it a good stir a few times, and cook for 8 minutes (7 for al dente).
When draining, reserve half a cup of cooking water for sauce.
Add shrimp to frying pan with a pinch of salt, sear for one minute per side until a light crust forms.
Transfer shrimp from pan and set aside—we will finish cooking in step 5.
Do not wash frying pan.
3. Sear eggplant
Add eggplant and cook for 4–5 minutes until a deep golden crust forms, tossing frying pan frequently or turning pieces carefully with a spatula.
Remove from frying pan and add a bit more of olive oil.
4. Make sauce
Sauté onion, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until just golden.
Stir in strained tomatoes, sauce spices mix, and a light pinch of salt.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then add eggplant to pan with sauce.
Add about half of reserved pasta water to loosen consistency, then leave it all to simmer over medium-low heat for 6 minutes.
5. Finish
Return shrimp to sauce and warm everything together for another couple of minutes.
Adjust sauce texture: if too thick, loosen with a splash more pasta water; if too liquid, raise heat and stir briskly with a spatula to reduce it slightly.
Add pasta to sauce, toss until heated through, and give a final taste for salt.
6. Serve
Divide between plates.