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Hello Everyone!

After some days offline due to a serious mishap with our laptop today we’re back with even more strength! I thank you all for your support in spite of the forced slow down. Far from a decrease in support,  we are in record week! Thanks so much!

Today’s recipe’s an extraordinarily flavorful one, but also one very close to my heart.

One of the recipes I remember from childhood is my mom’s spaghetti eggplant recipe. Spaghetti “a la criolla” with eggplant slices. My sisters and I remember this as one of the best of the vegetarian food master mom is.

Today I spoke with mom for about an hour and of course we talked about food! She told me that the recipe, far from being an old family one, was inspired and learned during her honeymoon with dad about 40 years ago while in Rome, Italy. She fell in love with the recipe and it became a family tradition.

In the following days I will be preparing some truly amazing old family recipes. Mom remembers some of Grandma’s (My great-grandmother) the most famous cook in the family. Hold on to your seats. Some scrumptiousness on the way!

Ingredients 

• 1 package of pasta (In this case I used fettuccine, but the original recipe is done with spaghetti)
• 3 big eggplants.
• 3 ripe tomatoes.
• 1 spoonful of garlic paste.
• 1 red onion.
• 2 spoonfuls of tomato paste.
• 1 cubanela pepper.
• 1 bouillon cube.
• 1 oregano spoonful.
• 1 spoonful of black pepper.
• 5 leaves of fresh basil.
• 1 red bell pepper.
• 1 spoonful paprika.
• Salt to taste.

Directions  

Put the pasta to boil with a little bit of salt and oil until “al dente”

Cut two of the eggplants in slices (“torrejas”) and put them in a wide plate. Spread salt above and allow them to sweat a little while.

Put some oil and stir fry the third eggplant cut in small squares, the chopped tomatoes, the garlic, onion, cubanela pepper, bouillon cube, oregano, black pepper, chopped bell pepper, paprika and salt.

Add some 2 cups of water and allow to cook. When this is well cooked, take it to the blender and blend until it is very creamy.

Take it to the fire and allow to boil. Add the tomato paste, allow I to mix well, rectifying the salt and separate.

Take the eggplant slices to the pan or pan grill with a little bit of oil, until they cook a bit. Separate.

Submerge the slices in the sauce, take out them and separate.

Put the sauce in a boiler, add the pasta and mix. Serve and place the slices on top. Cut the basil in pieces and add on top of it.

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Arturo

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