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Pasta alla Norma (eggplant pasta dish

PASTA ALLA NORMAThis is my personal favorite Sicilian Pasta- I love eggplant, and it is the star of this dish. The dish should have Ricotta salata (salted ricotta cheese), but I can never find it. I typically use Pecorino Romano or small crumbles of Feta. If you have access to an Italian market definitely use the Ricotta salata.
1-pound dried rigatoni 4 cups roasted eggplant 1-inch cubes (2 medium eggplant)4 tablespoons olive oil3 garlic cloves (1 tablespoon puree)2 cups diced San Marzano tomatoes 1 ½ cups tomato sauce ¼ cup red wine½ teaspoon dried oregano¼ cup fresh basil julienne 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes3 tablespoons butter¾ cup of pecorino Romano or minced feta
* Have your pasta water simmering so it will not take long to bring to a boil.Preheat oven to 400 F
To roast eggplant1. Cut both ends of the eggplant and cube the eggplant into 1-inch cubes with the skin on.2. Toss 5 cups of eggplant with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper.3. Spread evenly on a baking sheet, roast for 15 minutes, then turn the oven up to 450F for another 5 minutes. Set aside.To make sauce4. Place sauté pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and crushed garlic cloves or 1 tablespoon of garlic puree. Once the garlic is fragrant, add red wine and let it reduce by 50%, then add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Turn to a low simmer.5. Cook dry pasta, when it is cooked but slightly al dente, drain, saving 1/2 cup of pasta water.6. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with some pasta water, then whisk in butter. 7. Add roasted eggplant to tomato sauce, add pasta, and gently toss together. Pour into a serving bowl, top with your cheese of choice, and serve.


PORK SCHNITZEL WITH FARMERS SAUCE (MUSRHOOM SAUCE)I recommend serving with Warm German Potato Salad1 cup Flour3 large Egg1 ½ tbsp Whole whole-grain mustard 3 ½ cups Panko fine dry1 tablespoon Montreal Seasoning4 each 6- 7-ounce Pork Loin slices or chicken breast1 cup Mushroom Gravy For SchnitzelPrepare the breading station.1. Set 4 shallow pans or plates in a row. Add flour in the leftmost. Add the eggs and mustard into the second bowl. Whisk with a fork until combined well. Add the Panko and Montreal seasoning into the third mix. Leave the last one empty. You’ll place your breaded chicken on it. Prepare the chicken/pork2. For Chicken: Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and pat them dry with paper towels. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut each chicken breast horizontally in half lengthwise—you should have 36 thin chicken cutlets about the same size. Stack the cutletsFor Pork: Slice pork loin into 1-inch thick slices, about 6-7 oz each. 3. Spread a large piece of plastic wrap (at least 7- x 11-inch big) on the cutting board and place one cutlet on it. Fold the plastic over the cutlet, leaving some space around for the cutlet to spread as you pound it. Use the smooth side of a meat tenderizer or the bottom of a small frying pan to pound the cutlet until it’s 1/8 to 1/4 inch thin. Be firm but gentle so that the meat does not tear. The goal is to get an evenly thin cutlet. Pound the remaining cutlets, one at a time, using the same plastic wrap and replacing it if it tears.4. Ladle a generous amount of oil onto the flat top and heat over medium heat. In batches, fry the schnitzel for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.5. Transfer schnitzel to a sheet pan. Just before serving, heat to order in batches at 350. Do not overcookTo Plate:Place one cutlet in the center of the entree plate. Top cutlet with a 3oz ladle of mushroom gravy. Garnish cutlet with parsley leaves.Place 4oz of warm German potato salad on the side.
MUSHROOM SAUCE ¼ cup bacon grease1 cup Onion, chopped1 teaspoon garlic paste1 pound sliced mushrooms1 teaspoon Porcini Powder¼ cup butter½ cup flour1 cup reduced beef stock or demi-glace2 teaspoon Balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon salt tsp1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon thyme1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1. Melt bacon grease, lard, or beef drippings (any of these will yield the most flavor) in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the onions until beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute.2. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes or until golden and the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the ground porcini mushrooms and cook for another minute.3. Remove mushrooms and set aside.4. Add the butter to the pan and melt. Add the flour, stir to combine, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring continually. This will cook off the flour flavor and brown the flour to create more depth of flavor in the gravy.5. Add the beef broth, vinegar, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk continually until the gravy is thickened. Cover and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer the gravy thinner, add water or heavy cream.6. Add mushrooms back to the saucepan and serve.