Spaghetti alla Siciliana

Name: Spaghetti alla Siciliana (Sicilian spaghetti)
Yield: Serves 4-5
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: salt and pepper; 1½ lb (675 g) aubergine; 1 pint (600 ml) vegetable oil for frying; 10-12 fresh basil leaves, tom into small pieces, or 3 tablespoons (3 X 15 ml spoon) finely chopped fresh parsley; ½ pint (300 ml) Salsa Piccante col Pomodoro; 4 oz (100 g) ricotta salata or feta cheese, grated; Salsa Piccante col Pomodoro; 12 oz (350 g) spaghetti

Sicilian spaghetti

Preparation info

Serves
4-5

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Pasta Italian Style

By Patricia Lousada

Published 1991

About

The small purple and white aubergines of Sicily are sweet and fragrant from the hot sun. This recipe transforms our hot-house Dutch ones into a taste of the sultry Sicilian summer. Be choosy and buy only the firmest, shiniest aubergine.

Ingredients

Basic recipe

Salsa Piccante col Pomodoro

Europe
Italy
Main course
Sicily
Pasta
Vegetarian
Mediterranean
Summer

Method

Cut the aubergine lengthways into ⅛ inch (3 mm) slices. Place in a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave for an hour to drain. Rinse under cold water. Dry by squeezing a few slices at a time in a tea-towel.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan until it is quite hot. Fry just enough aubergine slices to fit comfortably in one layer, and cook until they tender and golden, about 5