Limnos Pasta with Eggplant Sauce / Pseftopetino
Here's a favorite traditional dish from the island of Limnos. Its Greek name means "fake cock's comb," of all things, probably because of the way the eggplants are cut, to resemble the fanlike shape of a cock's comb.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 1 pound / 450 g long thin eggplants, each cut into 1-inch /2.5 cm rounds
- 3 large firm tomatoes, grated
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 allspice berries
- 1 cup dry Limnos white wine or any dry white wine, preferably Greek
- Pinch of sugar
- 1 pound linguine fettucine, or tagliatelle
Instructions
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In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the onions, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook until the rounds start to soften and the skins begin to brown lightly, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and allspice. Pour in the wine and season, if desired, with a pinch of sugar. Simmer the eggplants, covered, until they are soft but not too mushy, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
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Bring the pasta to boil in a large pot of salted water. Drain. Toss with the sauce and serve.
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Notes
Adapted from from The Glorious Foods of Greece
