Smoked Eggplant Mezzaluna
Shrimp Passatina, Tomatoes, Thai Basil
Chef Craig Richards of St. Cecilia | Atlanta
Adapted by StarChefs | February 2018
INGREDIENTS
Eggplant Filling:
1 kilogram smoked eggplant, ground
170 grams fresh ricotta
33 grams Grated Pecorino Romano
Salt
White pepper
Shrimp Passatina Sauce:
1 yellow onion, small diced
3 garlic cloves minced
1 carrot, ¼-inch diced
2 pounds Atlantic shrimp, head and shell on
1 cup white wine
3 cups canned San Marzano tomatoes
To Assemble and Serve
Unsalted butter
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Thai basil
METHOD
For the Eggplant Filling:
Into a large mixing bowl add all ingredients; combine thoroughly.
For the Shrimp Passatina Sauce:
Into a sauce pot add canola and onions; sweat and season. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add carrots and sweat until soft, about 4 minutes. Turn to medium-high and add shrimp. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Cook shrimp through. Remove shrimp and reduce by ¼. Add shrimp back in and pass everything through a food mill.
To Assemble and Serve:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Roll out fresh pasta to the thinnest setting. Using a round cutter, cut out rounds and fill each with the eggplant filling. Form what looks like a half-moon shaped ravioli. Cook in boiling water until edges of ravioli are cooked through. While ravioli is cooking into a sauté pan add 3 tablespoons of pasta water and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high-heat. Swirl until butter is emulsified. Add Thai basil leaves, fresh tomatoes, and pasta and finish cooking pasta in the sauce. Plate onto warm plates and spoon warm Shrimp Passatina Sauce over the Eggplant Mezzaluna and garnish with Thai basil leaves.
