Eggplant Pasta w/ Black Garlic, Fennel + Olives
Black garlic! Have you ever seen this magical item? I’ve definitely passed it in grocery stores, both super intrigued + equally perplexed. But had yet to actually give it a try. So when Ribbon Road Farm reached out and asked if I wanted to sample some of their black garlic + use it in a recipe, it was a resounding YES. While it’s super fun to try a new-to-me food item, I was also very excited to support a NY-based, certified organic farm.
So what’s the deal with black garlic? Originating in Korea, it’s simply regular garlic that, after about 6 weeks over low heat, ages to becomes a super complex + delicious version of its former self. Rich with flavor, it almost has a balsamic, umami taste that could easily be eaten straight out of the jar. The harshness we associate with raw garlic is completely transformed. Not to mention, black garlic has even more antioxidants than regular!
Ribbon Road’s garlic is also sweeter than other brands and contains a good amount of liquid extract (yum). This is a natural result of their hands-off processing: no preservatives or colorants added at any time. Before even tasting it, you could say I was sold.
Fast-forward to recipe testing and I could’ve easily just eaten them all plain, but that wouldn’t make for a compelling ending to this story, ya know? Popular black garlic uses include: garlic butter, garlic aioli, or black garlic chicken. I decided to stick with my recent pasta momentum; let me tell you, I’m VERY glad I did.
This pasta is SO simple to make, yet tastes like a five star meal. The garlic really steals the show and adds this incredible umami flavor to the whole dish. I could not be happier with this turnout and hope you’ll give it a try!
PS: If you’re local, or near a Wegman’s, you can always find Ribbon Road there. It’s right next to the raw garlic!
INGREDIENTS:
(serves 4)
2 medium eggplant
1 large shallot (or small yellow onion)
1 tbsp butter (if vegan, omit)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 fennel bulb, saving some fronds (top greens)
7 cloves black garlic
1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt, scant (just under)
1/3 cup green olives
+ 1 lb fresh pappardelle pasta (or other)
+parm cheese / breadcrumbs (optional)
RECIPE:
Roast whole eggplants on a parchment or foil-lined sheet pan, at 400 degrees, until roasted + very soft inside. Around 45 min- 1 hour. A knife should easily slice into it. Cut in half and let cool for a few minutes.
While the eggplant is roasting, roughly chop shallots (they are getting blended), and sauté in butter + olive oil for 5-7 minutes, until soft. No salt.
Scoop out the flesh of the eggplant, leaving the skin. It should be about 1.5 cups worth. A little under/over is fine. Add to a blender with coconut milk, shallots/butter, 5 of the garlic cloves + salt. Blend for 10-15 seconds, so it’s creamy, but still a little textured. Set aside.
Heat up a large pot of salted water (a few tbsp salt) and prepare to cook pasta.
Thinly slice fennel bulb– a mandolin is ideal, but you can obviously use a knife. Sauté on medium in a large, deep frying pan with a little olive oil until soft (about 7-10 min). Turn to low and add in the eggplant mixture + roughly chopped olives. Thinly slice remaining 2 garlic cloves + add. Stir to combine.
Cook pasta al dente, drain, and add to sauce pan. Gently stir to incorporate everything. Serve with parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs + fennel fronds!
Tip: make the sauce ahead of time for an even quicker weeknight meal. It will stay good in the fridge for 3 days.
