Quick spaghetti for starving ‘do-it-yourselfers’

He was saying: One long weekend and it will be done, EEEEEAAAASY: a brand new bathroom! (new shower, paint and other little things. I mean: I’m naive, but there’s a limit!). 

Well, it’s been two weeks. Two weeks made of old layers of paint coming of suddenly once you’ve made sure that they wouldn’t, rotten walls and broken tiles, begging your friends to use their shower and other common Do-It-Yourself dramas.

Not so bad I would say, but now we’re both dead, starving and craving for a long hot shower in our brand new shower… Although the latter will have to wait tomorrow: my dutchie is finishing to put the silicone kit as we speak. You’re wondering what I’m in charge of? Dinner of course.
Luckily, there’s always pasta when you want to keep it quick and easy! And eggplant for a seasonnal touch. Dinner expected in 17 minutes.

Buon appetito!

Spaghetti with sauteed aubergine
Spaguetti aux aubergines sautées

serves 1 pers. (just multiply for more!)
prep: 5 min. cook: 12 min

Ingredients:
50 to 70 g thick spaghetti (I like to use barilla n.7 or cecco n.?),
a small handful coarse sea salt,
1 small aubergine (~150g), diced,
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed,
1 slice of parma ham,
2 Tsp olive oil,
sea salt, pepper and chilipepper to taste,
a handful of freah parsley and basil, cleaned and roughly chopped,
as much freshly grated parmeggiano as you like

Bring a large amount of water (salted with the coarse sea salt) to boil in a large pasta pan. When it’s boiling, add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions (7 to 10 min for al dente spaghetti depending on the brand). In the mean time: heat up a frying pan on high heat. When it’s hot, add the aubergine and grill for a couple of minutes, then add 1 Tsp of olive oil, the crushed garlic, season to taste with salt, pepper and chilipepper and cook for five minutes on medium heat, tossing from time to time (make sure the garlic doesn’t burn). Both pasta and aubergine should be ready at about the same time. Add the fresh herbs and the ham in strips to the aubergine, drain the pasta. Pour the spaghetti in a plate, add the aubergine, drizzle with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle generously with grated parmeggiano et voila! Eat right away, while it’s still steaming hot.  

Bon appétit!