Recipe: Rigatoni with Sausage, Eggplant, & Burrata

Rigatoni With Sausage, Eggplant, and Burrata

Makes 6 – 8 servings

Ingredients

500 grams rigatoni

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 

1 pound best-quality Italian sausages

1 large eggplant, cut into ½-inch dice

1 medium Spanish onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

Zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 knob of butter

1 large ball burrata (heaven)

Handful of microgreens (I love sorrel here)

Handful of flat-leaf parsley

Sea salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions 

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, (al dente please). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Awesome. 

2. While the pasta is cooking, crack on with the sausage and eggplant action. Remove the sausage meat from the casings, then shape into small meatballs (you can do this ahead, if that suits your fancy). Heat a large high-sided skillet over medium-heat, and pour in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the meatballs and cook, turning every few minutes, until browned on all sides and cooked through (about 8 – 10 minutes). Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon, reserving any liquid in the pan.

3. Pour in the remaining olive oil, add the eggplant, and season with good pinch of sea salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, until golden on one side, then stir in the onion and garlic. Continue cooking, stirring every couple minutes, for 5 minutes. Add the butter, lemon zest and juice, sausage, and reserved cooking liquid to the pan, then stir in the rigatoni.  

4. Toss the sauce and pasta together, then transfer to a large serving dish. Add the burrata, then hit the pasta with a nice bit of freshly cracked black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, parsley, and sorrel. Delicious!!

Our favourite chef Dennis The Prescott. See more recipes here at : 

https://dennistheprescott.com/2019/01/25/rigatoni-with-sausage-eggplant-burrata/