Orecchiete Wiith Marinated Eggplant Burrata Chiles Recipes

Steps:

• Light a grill or preheat a grill pan.
• Brush the cut sides of the halved eggplants with olive oil and season with salt; grill the eggplants cut side down over moderate heat until lightly charred, about 4 minutes.
• Turn and continue grilling until just browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
• Let cool; dice the eggplants and transfer to a bowl.
• Pour the vinegar over the eggplant and toss well.
• In a small saucepan, combine the 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the garlic, marjoram sprigs, crushed red pepper and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.
• Bring the oil to a simmer, then pour it over the eggplant and toss; let stand for 1 hour.
• Discard the marjoram sprigs.
• In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the orecchiette until al dente.
• Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water.
• Add the eggplant to the pot and cook over moderate heat, stirring lightly, until hot, about 30 seconds.
• Add the orecchiette and the reserved cooking water and cook, tossing, for about 30 seconds.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the pecorino and parsley.
• Spoon the pasta into bowls.
• Dot the pasta with the creamy burrata filling.
• Garnish with the lemon zest, chile strips and marjoram leaves and serve.
• WINE:*.
• Rich, spicy dishes like this pasta will overwhelm reds that don't have equally robust flavors. A good place to find these kinds of reds is Italy's central Abruzzo region, which produces lush, berry-packed wines from the Montepulciano grape. Try the peppery 2007 Nicodemi Notari Montepulciano d'Abruzzo or the smooth 2006 Valle Reale Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan or skillet, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, dry the capers very well by wrapping them in paper towels or a clean dish towel and wringing out the moisture. (If there is too much moisture, the oil will sputter aggressively.) Line a plate or tray with paper towels or a clean dish towel.
• When the oil is ready, carefully drop the capers in and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. (Watch closely, as smaller capers will cook more quickly.) Remove the capers from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on the lined plate. They will crisp up further as they cool.
• Transfer the caper-infused oil to a large heatproof bowl and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
• Lay the disks of eggplant on a large cutting board or sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, flip over and drizzle the other side. Heat a large (12-inch) grill pan or cast-iron skillet on medium-high. (See Tip for grilling instructions.) When hot, working in batches, add the eggplant disks in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes, pressing the eggplant into the pan to encourage browning. Flip, reduce heat to medium and cook on the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes, until completely tender. (The eggplant continues to soften as it soaks up the marinade in the next step, so don't be tempted to overcook.) Remove the eggplant from the pan and place them back on the cutting board or plate. Continue cooking the remaining eggplant.
• Meanwhile, to the bowl with the cooled caper-infused oil, add the herbs, garlic, red-pepper flakes, lemon zest and juice, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and a few pinches of black pepper. Toss to combine and taste, making sure it has enough salt. Add the warm eggplant slices to the oil and gently toss to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 5 minutes (see Tip).
• Serve this on one large platter or as four separate servings. Place the burrata (for single servings, halve each ball of burrata) on the plate along with the eggplant and top with any remaining marinade and the fried capers, and scatter with fresh herbs.