Eggplant Purée Angel Hair

Instructions

1. Boil the angel hair in salted water for exactly the time listed on the package. Rinse in cold water, then drain in a colander.
2. Peel the eggplant with a vegetable peeler and cut lengthwise and crosswise once each, into quarters.
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan and sear the eggplant on both sides until golden brown. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes using the released moisture, then uncover and finish cooking.
4. Transfer the roasted eggplant to a bowl, setting aside two pieces for garnish.
5. Add the dill, garlic, pistachios, white wine vinegar, 5 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper to the bowl.
6. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and grate in the zest of one whole lemon, then blend everything smooth to make the eggplant purée. If it’s too thick, thin it out with a little more olive oil or water, and finish seasoning with salt.
7. In another bowl, combine the boiled angel hair with 3 tbsp of the eggplant purée, tossing well.
8. Plate, garnish with the reserved eggplant, and finish with the remaining pistachios and dill.

Tips

• Eggplant takes more effort to cook than you’d expect — roasting it whole with the skin on in the oven can take nearly an hour. If you’re short on time, peel it with a vegetable peeler and pan-roast instead; it cooks faster and comes out crisp on the outside with a moist, banana-like interior.
• Lighter than chickpea hummus and smoother than pesto, this purée is especially good in the summer.
• Pistachios can be swapped for almonds.
• Store leftover eggplant purée in a container topped with a layer of olive oil, refrigerated — it keeps for about 3 days.

Eggplant Purée Angel Hair
Equipment: pot, frying pan, blender, knife, cutting board, mixing bowl
Ingredients (1 serving)

- capellini 80g (angel hair)
- eggplant 3
- garlic 1 clove
- lemon 1½
- dill 10g
- pistachios 30g (almonds work too)
- white wine vinegar 30ml
- olive oil 8 tbsp
- salt 1 tbsp (for pasta water)
- salt ½ tsp
- salt a pinch
- black pepper a pinch

Instructions
1. Boil the angel hair in salted water for exactly the time listed on the package. Rinse in cold water, then drain in a colander.
2. Peel the eggplant with a vegetable peeler and cut lengthwise and crosswise once each, into quarters.
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan and sear the eggplant on both sides until golden brown. Cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes using the released moisture, then uncover and finish cooking.
4. Transfer the roasted eggplant to a bowl, setting aside two pieces for garnish.
5. Add the dill, garlic, pistachios, white wine vinegar, 5 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper to the bowl.
6. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and grate in the zest of one whole lemon, then blend everything smooth to make the eggplant purée. If it's too thick, thin it out with a little more olive oil or water, and finish seasoning with salt.
7. In another bowl, combine the boiled angel hair with 3 tbsp of the eggplant purée, tossing well.
8. Plate, garnish with the reserved eggplant, and finish with the remaining pistachios and dill.

https://hong-recipe.pages.dev/en/recipes/eggplant-puree-angel-hair/