Sicilian Spaghetti Recipes

SICILIAN STYLE SPAGHETTI AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Slice the eggplants into 1/4-inch rounds. Toss them with 1/4 cup olive oil and some salt and pepper. Grill them until marks have formed and they are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place them onto a paper towel lined platter. Scatter over 2 cloves of sliced garlic, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice, put on a few torn basil leaves, and season it all with salt and pepper. Set aside while you make the sauce.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. Cook the onions until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chile, garlic, olives and a few hand-torn basil leaves. Carefully add the tomatoes and a pinch of sugar; cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Add the capers, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.
• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the spaghetti. Stir to make sure the pasta doesn't stick. Cover and return to a boil. Remove cover and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the spaghetti is al dente. Drain and add the spaghetti to the tomato sauce. Add the cheese and mix well. Pile onto a platter and top it with the eggplant slices. Garnish with more basil leaves.

SPAGHETTI WITH SICILIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• For Sauce:
• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion; sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juices and 2 tablespoons basil; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until sauce thickens, breaking up tomatoes with fork, about 1 hour. Mix in 2 tablespoons basil. Season with salt and pepper. Set sauce aside.
• For Meatballs:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil baking sheet. Mix crumbs and milk in medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Mix in Parmesan, onion, basil, egg, garlic and pepper. Add sausage, pine nuts and currants; blend well. Using wet hands, form mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place on baking sheet. Bake until meatballs are light brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Add to sauce.
• Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Mound in dish. Bring sauce and meatballs to simmer. Spoon over spaghetti.

SICILIAN PASTA AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Heat the water for your pasta while you prepare the broccoli.
• In a shallow, 10-inch saute pot, heat the 1 cup olive oil over medium-high heat (see Cook's Note). Add the broccoli to the oil and season it with salt. Saute the broccoli for about 4 minutes, or until it takes on a toasty color. The broccoli will absorb a lot of the oil, so if you find your pot getting dry, just add a little more oil to it. Throw in the garlic and cook for about another minute, until it's slightly brown. Don't burn the garlic! Take the broccoli off the heat and set it aside.
• Prepare the penne according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and toss it in the pot with the broccoli, garlic, and olive oil. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more oil.
• Toss in the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stir, and garnish with the parsley.

SICILIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. , Stir in the tomatoes, raisins, wine, tomato paste, sugar, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through. , Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Stir parsley and pine nuts into meat sauce. Drain spaghetti; top with sauce.

SICILIAN SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Cut eggplant in 3mm (1/8in) thick.
• Heat about 1/2 the oil in shallow pan, add a single layer of eggplant, cook over medium heat until eggplant is a light golden brown turn and brown other side.
• Remove from pan and place on absorbent paper to drain.
• Repeat with remaining eggplant.
• Add minced steak to pan, cook until browned.
• Add onion and garlic cook for a few moments.
• Add undrained tomatoes, oregano, tomato paste, season with salt& pepper.
• Simmer uncovered for about 20-30min or until liquid is reduced by about half.
• While minced steak in cooking, add spaghetti to a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook until tender about 15min- when cooked drain spaghetti.
• Microwave Peas for 2 minutes.
• Mix together minced steak mixture with spaghetti, peas and grated cheeses using two forks- combine well.
• Grease a 23cm (9in) round cake tin (I used a springform round cake tin), sprinkle evenly with 1/2 the breadcrumbs Place large slices of eggplant in cente of tin, arrange overlapping slices over the base until covered and then continue up the sides of the tin.
• Use spoonfuls of the filling to support the slices as you work around the side of the tin.
• Spoon remaining filling into cake tin, pack down well.
• Arrange the remaining slices of eggplant, overlapping each slice to cover the top of the filling completely.
• Sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs.
• Bake uncovered in a mderate over 25-30 minutes.
• Stand for 5 minutes turn onto a serving plate and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

SICILIAN-STYLE SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Place cauliflower, 1/4 cup oil, and anchovy fillets in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
• Cook until the anchovy fillets begin to sizzle; add 1/4 cup water and season with salt.
• Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is just tender, about 5 minutes.
• Uncover, and cook until the water has evaporated and the cauliflower is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir in raisins and pine nuts, and cook until just heated through.
• Remove from heat and cover; set aside.
• Place panko on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• Toss to coat crumbs with oil, and spread into an even layer.
• Bake until lightly browned and crunchy, about 10 minutes.
• Set aside.
• Add salt and return to boil; add spaghetti and cook according to package directions.
• Drain, and add to a large bowl.
• Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; toss to coat.
• Top with cauliflower mixture, parsley, and lemon juice.
• Gently toss to combine.
• Sprinkle with panko and cheese; serve immediately.