Romano's Brides' Barques

2 medium long dark aubergines

8 – 10 round, raw tomatoes deseeded and peeled

10 – 15 chestnut mushrooms

onion and garlic

celery and carrot

fresh herbs

1 tspn tomato puree

salt and black pepper

½ lb ricotta cheese

Parmesan, Pecorino or Casarecce cheese

200 gr Caprecce pasta

Slice the aubergines lengthways in two equal halves. Incise with a sharp knife and scoup out the centres, saving the flesh and leaving an even thickness of flesh about 1 cm around

Sprinkle salt over exposed aubergine and leave to sweat with cut sides facing down for at least 4 hours.

To prepare the sauce: - finely cut some onion, celery, a little carrot, a clove of garlic.

Put in a large pan with 4 – 5 tablespoons of Organic Olive Oil and fry gently until the onion becomes translucent. Do not allow the garlic to darken.

Sprinkle in the chopped fresh herbs: oregano, thyme, sage. Add the cubed mushrooms plus the aubergine pulp and leave to simmer.

When the liquid is absorbed by the mushrooms and aubergine pulp, add the pulp of the tomatoes. Cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes, add tomato puree dissolved in a glass of dry white wine.

Leave to simmer covered for 15 minutes, or until the aubergine pulp is cooked. Season with salt and black pepper.

Cook the pasta in a lot of salted water until al dente, not less than 10 – 12 minutes. When ready, add a ladle of cold water to stop the cooking process. Remove from the heat. Save a small amount of this liquid.

In a large mixing bowl, place a portion of the mushroom and aubergine mixture and add all the drained pasta, mixing thoroughly. Add the rest of the mushroom / aubergine mixture, plus the ricotta cheese. Mix again thoroughly. Add a small amount of the pasta cooking liquid to maintain the moistness. Add a generous quantity of freshly grated pecorino and freshly chopped parsley. Mix altogether and divide amongst the “barques” in a heaped mound.

Place each “barque” on a grilling tray. Cover again generously with grated pecorino.

Place tray under grill until the cheese melts.

(from Calabria, Italy)
Recipe contributed by Romano Coddetta of the former Seafarers' Seafood Restaurant, Penzance.