Delizie Di Trinacria (Sicilian Eggplant Delight) |
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Prep Time: 1 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 31 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Specialty of the Restaurante La Botte, Monreale, Sicily, Italy. This recipe is served as two mounds per serving palte. The mounds are supposed to represent 2 minni di vergini or 'Virgins Breasts', small cakes made by local nuns to raise money for their nunneries. Ingredients:
6 medium eggplants |
8 ounces linguine |
9 1/2 ounces ricotta cheese |
16 fluid ounces marinara sauce |
black pepper, to taste |
12 slices caciocavallo or 12 slices provolone cheese, cut thin |
6 slices tomatoes |
6 small fresh basil sprigs |
Directions:
1. Cut each eggplant in half. Slice 1 (1/2 inch) slice from the wide end of each half. Set aside. Cut 1 (1/2 inch) slice from the narrow end of each half. Set aside. Use cut-up eggplant in another dish.
2. Take slices and match up one large and one small slice so you have 12 pairs. Each pair is a bottom and a top with filling to be placed between eventually. Salt each slice and leave for 1 hour to purge the bitter juices from the eggplants.
3. Rinse off salt, dry and then grill on both sides until the slices are cooked.
4. Cook the linguine in salted boiling water until they are three-quarters cooked, drain and stir in the ricotta and the marinara sauce. Adjust seasoning.
5. For each mound, arrange a layer of coiled linguine between a bottom and a top slice of eggplant and drape a thin slice of cheese over the top eggplant slice so it cascades over the sides of the mound.
6. Cook in a hot oven (450°F) until the cheese has melted to coat the little pasta and eggplant mounds. Garnish with a small slice of tomato and sprig of basil.
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