Recipe: Paccheri with tomato sauce, burrata and eggplant
This dish from Italian cuisine proves that it really doesn’t have to be complicated to serve something fantastic. There are few things I enjoy as much as paccheri (pasta) covered in a rich tomato sauce and burrata.
Italy has an enormous number of types of pasta, but paccheri is one of my favorites. It is a large, thick, tubular pasta, often with a diameter of approximately 2–3 centimeters and a length of 4–5 centimeters. Paccheri originally comes from Campania, and the name means “claps” in the Neapolitan dialect, referring to the clapping sound paccheri makes when you eat it.
Weekly craving
Paccheri is usually made from hard wheat (durum wheat) and has a smooth or slightly ridged texture. Whether you fill it with delicious ingredients or serve it with a rich sauce, paccheri is always a satisfying eating experience and always impresses my guests. This version, with soft, roasted eggplant and sweet cherry tomatoes, is one of my favorite recipes, precisely because it is so simple. Stir in the creamy burrata and the flavors come together. Prepare yourself for a weekly recurring craving, because you’ll want to make this again and again.
How to make paccheri with tomato sauce, burrata and eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
- Char the eggplants all over with a blowtorch or on the gas stove. Then place the eggplants on a baking sheet or rack and place them in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Then very carefully peel off the skin and mash the inside of the eggplants with a fork. Spoon into a bowl and season with pepper and salt.
- Pour some olive oil into a pan. Add the shallots and fry until glossy.
- Add the cherry tomatoes. Fry for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft, then gently crush them with a (wooden) spoon.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Reserve some pasta water.
- Stir the tomato paste into the onion and tomato mixture and fry everything for a few minutes. Then add the white wine vinegar and cream. Let it reduce briefly.
- Stir the Parmesan cheese into the sauce. Season with pepper, salt and a little lemon juice. Finally, add some fresh basil.
- Once the pasta is cooked, add it directly to the pan with the sauce. Mix well and add some pasta water if necessary.
- Divide the pasta among the plates. Use a spoon to distribute the smoked eggplant over the pasta. Tear the burrata apart with your hands and distribute it over the plates as well. Finish with some pepper, a splash of extra-virgin olive oil, some extra Parmesan cheese and basil leaves.
Title: Pien laat haar eten zien vol. 2
Author: Pien Wekking
Price: €26,99
Publisher: Spectrum
After the success of her first cookbook, Pien now showcases even more food. Surprise your guests by serving prawns and squid in a spicy sauce, followed by sea bass with caper butter. Or make the celebration complete with an espresso crème brûlée.
Also read:
