“Without the chilli, it’s just another boring tomato pasta. With the chilli, it’s something else!” – Nagi Maehashi from RecipeTin Eats, on Penne all’Arrabbiata, as quoted in today’s recipe video. 😂

Penne all’Arrabbiata

So, I am not sure that one line summary of today’s recipe will go anywhere beyond my little corner of the internet. But that is my articulate description of the greatness that is Penne all’Arrabbiata! Simple made interesting with a good kick of chilli and healthy dose of garlic. The Italians know a thing or two about making simple pastas great!

By way of background, “Arrabbiata” means “angry” in Italian. So this pasta is said to be named as such in reference to its fiery nature!

But fear not. Yes, this is a pasta that is meant to be spicy. But it’s fundamentally a great tomato pasta that you can make as spicy as you’d like. Or not. It’s easy to adjust – just make the sauce with less chilli to start with. Taste it during the simmer time. Add more if you’re feeling bold! 

Ingredients in Penne all’Arrabbiata

Arrabbiata sauce can be made with either fresh or dried chillies. Dried is obviously more convenient, but I really like the extra flavour fresh chilli brings to the sauce so I’ve used a combination of both. Also, two of my go-to Italian recipe sources both use fresh chillis. 

Feel free to double up on either options!

• Cayenne pepper – The larger the chilli, the less spicy they are! So cayenne peppers are not super spicy. Though, I do like to keep the seeds in for an extra zing of spiciness (the seeds is where most of the spiciness is). Feel free to de-seed if you prefer, or just use dried chillis (see note above photo for why I use fresh and dried).

  Feel brave? Use Birds Eye or Thai chillies instead! They pack more spiciness than cayenne peppers.

• Dried red chillis – These have a warm earthiness that fresh chillis do not. Sauteing with garlic brings out the toasty flavour as well as the spiciness. 

• Pasta type – Traditionally made with penne, though ziti is a direct replacement (it’s penne with a smooth surface). Though really, you can make this with any short or long pasta.

• Canned crushed tomato – To be authentic, use whole peeled tomatoes (canned) and mash them up with a fork. For convenience, I use crushed tomatoes! 

  Sourness note: Not all canned tomatoes are created equal! Economical brands tend to be more sour. Take the edge off with ½ teaspoon of sugar. 

• Garlic – 3 cloves! Arrabiata sauce is meant to have a nice hit of garlic flavour.

• Parmesan – For serving.

• Parsley – For optional garnish.

How to make Arrabbiata Sauce

This simple pasta sauce 15 minutes simmering time to breakdown the tomatoes and make the flavours meld. Don’t shortcut it – you’ll rob yourself of flavour!

1. Finely mince the cayenne pepper with the seeds in. (See note in the ingredients section about seeds and spiciness)

2. Sauté garlic and chilli – Use a pot large enough to toss the pasta with the sauce. Heat the oil over medium heat, then stir the garlic for just 10 seconds. Add cayenne and chilli flakes, then cook for 1 minute, or until garlic is light golden.

3. Simmer – Add tomato, salt and pepper. Rinse out the tomato cans with a bit of water and add that in too. Then simmer the sauce gently for 15 minutes until it thickens. 

4. Save water for sauce – While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta per packet directions in salted pasta cooking water. Just before draining, give the pot a big stir (to agitate the starch* in the pasta) then scoop out 1 cup of the water. Then drain the pasta.

   * The starch in the pasta cooking water helps the pasta sauce thicken so it clings to the pasta better. 

5. Toss – Add the pasta into the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss well (still on the stove) until the sauce coats the pasta and is no longer pooled in the base of the pot. Use extra pasta cooking water if needed, to loosen.

6. Serve – Dinnertime! Divide between bowls and serve immediately with parmesan and parsley, if using.

Oh the possibilities!

I’ve kept today’s recipe traditional with no add-ins, delicious as is.

But this recipe is an excellent blank canvas for add-ins of choice. Think – cooked shredded chicken, ham bits, olives (puttanesca-ish!), artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, other leftover cooked vegetables (or sauté from raw). Drop in some raw prawns/shrimp for the last few minutes cook time or some pieces of fish. 

As with all pasta recipes, be sure to have everyone lined up ready to eat as you’re dishing it out so it’s at its slick, juicy, sauciness best. Pass freshly grated parmesan at the table, and top it with a pinch of parsley if you’re feeling fancy.

Enjoy! – Nagi

Watch how to make it

Made Arrabbiata Sauce – and got a free facial!

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Penne all’Arrabbiata (spicy tomato pasta)

Recipe video above. “Arrabbiata” means “angry” in Italian and refers to how the spiciness of this classic Italian pasta! I love how this simple dish is made interesting with a good kick of chilli.

To be authentic, use whole peeled tomatoes and mash them up with a fork. For convenience, I use crushed tomatoes. SPICINESS – See Note 1.

Course Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Keyword arrabbiata penne, arrabbiata sauce, Penne all’arrabbiata

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 567cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 400g/ 14oz penne or ziti , or other pasta of choice (short or long)
• 1 tbsp cooking / kosher salt , for cooking pasta

Arrabiata sauce:

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 1 red cayenne pepper chilli , finely chopped (with seeds) (Note 2)
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
• 800g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
• 1 1/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp white sugar , only if needed (Note 3)

Serving:

• parmesan , finely grated
• 2 tsp finely chopped parsley , optional

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Sauté – Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and stir for 10 seconds. Add cayenne and chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute, or until garlic is light golden.
• Add tomato, salt and pepper. Rinse out the tomato cans with the water and add into the pot.
• Simmer – Turn up the heat to high, stir, then once it comes to a simmer, turn back down to medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes. (Taste check at 10 min – if sour, add the sugar.)
• Cook pasta – Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil with the 1 tablespoon of salt. Add pasta and cook per packet directions.
• Save water – Just before draining, give the pot a big stir (to agitate the starch) then scoop out 1 cup of the water and set aside. (Note 4) Drain pasta.
• Toss – Add pasta into the sauce along with 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss well (still on the stove) until the pasta is coated with the pasta sauce. Use extra pasta cooking water if needed, to loosen.
• Serve – Divide between bowls and serve immediately with parmesan and parsley, if using.

Notes

1. SPICINESS – Has a fair kick to it, as it is supposed to! It’s between medium and medium-hot. Not blow-your-head-off. To reduce spiciness, de-seed the cayenne pepper (most spiciness is in the seeds) – this will reduce closer to medium. To reduce further/easy way to control, omit the cayenne pepper. Start with a small amount of chilli flakes then get the sauce simmering. At the 10 minute mark, taste and add more chilli flakes, bit by bit, until you hit your threshold!

2. Cayenne peppers are large red chillis. They are not overly spicy – general rule is the smaller the chilli, the spicier they are. See above for spiciness note.

3. Sugar – Not all canned tomatoes are created equal. The better the quality, the sweeter they are. Only use sugar if required.

4. Reserving/using pasta cooking water – Essential pasta cooking step every Italian does instinctively for every pasta recipe! Starch in the pasta cooking water helps the sauce thicken and cling to the pasta instead of sitting in a watery pool in the bottom of your pasta bowl.

5. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 567cal | Carbohydrates: 91g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 1011mg | Potassium: 846mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 524IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 4mg

Life of Dozer

Nowhere to be seen when I’m sautéing the chilli (the fumes tickle his nose) but he waddles over when it’s done. But – no spicy pasta for Dozer! Can you imagine the mess I’d have to deal with. 😂

The post Penne all’Arrabbiata (spicy tomato pasta) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake! Think – blueberry crumble meets warm lemon cake with a crunchy buttery streusel topping and melty scoop of vanilla ice cream. It tastes even better than it sounds! 

Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake

I’ve done my fair share of blueberry desserts but I’ve always wanted to do a cake with an outrageous amount of blueberries in it. As in, BURSTING with blueberries. Not just studded. I dreamed of a blueberry crumble, except in cake form. (Yes, these are the thoughts that occupy my mind at night).

The question really was just how much blueberries I could bake into a cake without weighing down the sponge so much it became dense.

I peaked out at 500g (1lb). That’s almost double the typical amount used in most Blueberry Crumb Cakes.

And with extra blueberries comes extra streusel, that crumbly crunchy caramel top. I guess sometimes dreams can come true!!

Ingredients in Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake

Here’s what you need to make this.

The blueberries

The blueberries are tossed in a little flour and sugar so it forms a jam-like layer that mostly suspends on the surface of the cake. The lemon is used to provide wetness to make some of the flour stick to the blueberries.

You will find that not all the flour sticks to the blueberries. Be sure to scatter it all across the blueberry layer. We need the full 3 tablespoons of flour to ensure the blueberries don’t sink. Initial versions of the cake only used 1 tablespoon and the blueberries dispersed a little too much for my liking.

Frozen blueberries will work too! Use frozen because they bleed a lot when thawed.

The Crumb Topping

This is called a streusel in baking. It’s a mixture made with flour, sugar and butter combined to make a lumpy mixture that is used to add a terrific crunchy topping on the surface of cakes, muffins, bars etc.

No unusual players here. The only one worth noting is sugar. I prefer using caster sugar (superfine sugar) because the grains are finer so I can be confident that I won’t end up with sugar grains in the streusel. However, if you don’t have it, just substitute with regular sugar.

Lemon Cake

The Lemon Cake is adapted from the batter I use for my classic blueberry yogurt cake. However, the batter is a little sturdier built to withstand the combined 700g / 1.4lb of blueberries and streusel that we pile on top and still come out lovely and springy at the end.

PS I know that 700g/1.4 lb sounds like an insane amount of blueberries and streusel, but we do lose weight in liquid evaporation as it bakes.

• Flour – just plain / all purpose flour. It’s best to use plain flour and add baking powder rather than self raising flour. Cakes just never rise as well.

• Baking powder – This is what makes the cake rise. If yours is old, it’s best to check it’s still active! 

• Sour cream – This helps make the sponge lovely and moist because it adds wetness into the batter but it’s thicker than milk. So we can use less flour for the same volume of batter. Ensure the sour cream is at room temperature, ie not fridge cold, else it will not incorporate properly into the batter (eg it can make the melted butter solidfy. Yup, been there, done that!).

• Milk – Full fat is best though low fat will work fine too. As with the sour cream, ensure it’s not fridge cold. Take it out 30 minutes prior, or microwave for 10 seconds.

• Eggs –  Use large eggs which are ~55 – 60g / 2 oz each (they come in cartons labelled “large eggs”) at room temperature. See here for what this means, and a quick way to de-chill fridge cold eggs!

• Melted butter – Once melted, let it cool for a bit. It can still be warm, we just don’t want it to be super hot.

• Lemon zest – Zest the lemon before you squeeze out juice to coat the blueberries! It’s impossible to properly zest a lemon once it’s been squeeze of juice. We only use the zest because it adds lovely lemon flavour. The juice, on the other hand, mainly just adds sourness.

• Vanilla extract – Better flavour than imitation vanilla essence. I personally don’t use vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste in cakes because I think it’s wasted. Save it for things like Crème Brûlée and Flan Pâtissier!

• Salt – Just a touch, to bring out the other flavours in the cake. Standard baking practice these days.

How to make Blueberry Crumb Cake

Streusel first (it’s a quick mix), then toss the blueberries, then make the batter last.

1. How to make Streusel

1. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt). Then add the melted butter and vanilla, and mix using a fork just until all the flour is wet but the mixture is still clumpy.

2. This is what you’re after. Lots and lots of lumps!

2. zest lemon fiRst, then toss the blueberries

1. Zest the lemon then keep it for the batter. Do this before juicing the lemon for the blueberries because it’s impossible to zest a lemon that’s been squeezed of juice!

2. Toss the blueberries in lemon juice first to wet the surface. Then toss with the flour and sugar. Then set aside until required.

3. The lemon cake batter

1. Line a 20cm / 8” springform cake pan with baking / parchment paper. See here for my easy way of doing it – no pencil required!

   It needs to be a springform pan so the cake can be removed without inverting (which would cause the crumbly topping to fall off!)

2. Whisk dry – Whisk the dry ingredient in a bowl (flour, baking powder and salt).

3. Whisk wet – Then in a larger bowl, give the sugar, vanilla, zest and eggs a good whisk for about 15 seconds until the surface is a bit foamy. Add the melted warm-not-hot butter and sour cream, then whisk until smooth. 

4. Add flour in 3 batches – Add one third of the flour then use a rubber spatula to fold it through. Once mostly incorporated, add half the remaining flour, fold through, then the remaining flour and fold through.

5. Milk last – When you can no longer see flour, add the milk and mix until incorporated. If you see tiny bits in the batter, it will be the zest not flour lumps! 

6. Batter thickness – This is what your batter should look like. Pourable but not super thin like my Chocolate Cake and not super thick like a muffin batter.

4. ASSEMBLING AND BAKING

1. Pour the batter into the cake pan and smooth the surface.

2. Top with blueberries. For the most even spread, start from the outer edge then work your way in. If you start in the middle, the weight of the blueberries pushes the batter out and up the walls of the pan. But, don’t get too hung up on this step! This is a rustic cake, and the blueberry layer is always a bit of a pot-luck situation in terms of spottiness / jammy patches / how neat the line is (it is not, ever!).

3. Use residual flour – Make sure you tip the residual flour and sugar at the bottom of the blueberry bowl over the blueberries. We need all the flour to ensure the blueberries don’t sink (I had problems when I used slightly less flour). 

4. Streusel – Then cover the top with the streusel, using your fingers to make nice big lumps across the surface. Aim for around 85% coverage – it’s nice to have some jammy blueberries peeking through the golden brown crumbly topping!

   TIP: If you have powdery streusel at the bottom of the bowl, just clench a pile of it in your fist to make it clump together. Then break up into clumps and scatter! 

5. Bake for 65 minutes at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced), rotating halfway to ensure the streusel browns evenly. 

   Note on oven temperature: it’s a little higher than the usual temperature for baking cakes because the blueberries and streusel add a thick protection layer so we need an extra blast of heat to cook the cake through. At the typical 180°C/350°F (160°C fan), the cake was taking 75 – 80 minutes and the sponge rose a smidge less.

6. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan to give it a chance to stabilise. Then unclip the sides and use a spatula to slide the cake onto a cooling rack. Cool for a further 10 minutes before slicing to serve warm (so the ice cream melts!), or fully cool and serve at room temperature.

Warm vs room temperature serving

If you want to be a normal, this cake can be served at room temperature, with optional ice cream or whipped cream on the side. That’s the normal way Crumb Cakes are served. It is delicious and the way this cake was originally intended to be.

But, for the ultimate Blueberry Crumb Cake experience, serve it warm with a scoop of melty vanilla ice cream on top. It is just such a comforting combination – the warm blueberries that burst in your mouth mingling with the cool creamy ice cream, the crunchy bits of caramel-y streusel topping and the soft cake (which gets softer when warm!) with the hint of fresh lemon flavour.

I am firmly planted on the warm-serving side. Try it once, and I think you will be too! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake

Recipe video above. With almost double the blueberries of normal recipes and extra crunchy streusel topping, this Blueberry Crumb Cake is like a blueberry crumble on a soft, warm lemon cake. Melty scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is perfection!

Please ensure your eggs, sour cream and milk are not fridge cold as they will not incorporate into the batter properly.

Course Cake

Cuisine Western

Keyword blueberry cake, blueberry crumb cake, crumb cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 – 12

Calories 324cal

Author Goh

Ingredients

Crunch crumb (Streusel):

• 2/3 cups flour , plain/all-purpose
• ½ cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/8 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 60g / 4 tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon vanilla cake:

• 1 1/3 cups flour , plain/all-purpose
• 2 tsp baking powder (if old, check it’s still active)
• 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• 3/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 large eggs , at room temperature (what this means)
• 90 g / 6 tbsp unsalted butter , melted then cooled slightly (don’t use piping hot)
• 1/3 cup sour cream , at room temperature (sub plain yogurt)
• 1/3 cup milk , at room temperature (full fat best, low fat ok)

Blueberries:

• 500 g / 1 lb fresh blueberries (Note 1 for frozen)
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 3 tbsp flour , plain/all-purpose

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a 20cm springform pan with paper (here's how I do it).
• Crumb – Put the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and mix together with a fork. Then add the butter and vanilla, and use the fork to mix until all the flour is wet, then stop mixing. We want it lumpy and crumbly!
• Zest the lemon first and put it aside for the batter before measuring out juice for the blueberry tossing.
• Blueberries – Toss the blueberries with lemon juice to wet the surface. Sprinkle with sugar and flour, toss to coat. Set aside.

Lemon vanilla cake:

• Whisk dry – Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Whisk wet – In a larger bowl, whisk the sugar, vanilla, zest and eggs until the surface is a bit foamy (~ 15 sec by hand). Add the butter and sour cream, whisk until smooth.
• Combine wet and dry – Switch to a rubber spatula. Add the flour in 3 batches, folding in between until the flour is mostly incorporated. Then add the milk and stir until combined. Some small lumps is ok!
• Assembling – Pour the batter into the pan. Scatter blueberries on top. Sprinkle any leftover flour at the bottom of the blueberry bowl on top of the blueberries. Cover with chunks of crumb, aiming for ~85% coverage. If necessary, enclose powdery bits in your fist to press them into clumps!
• Bake for 65 minutes, rotating the pan halfway, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (blueberry smear is ok!).
• Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Remove the cake from the springform pan then cool for at least another 10 minutes before cutting to serve.
• Serving – For the best blueberry crumble-cake experience, serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Otherwise, be normal and serve it at room temperature. Ice cream or cream also welcome here.

Notes

1. Frozen blueberries can be used too. Don’t thaw! Toss with the flour & sugar just before using (if you do it before making the batter it will start to melt). It will take an extra 10 minutes to bake. If the top starts to get overly brown, just cover with foil.

2.  Pan – Best to use a springform pan else you will lose streusel topping when inverting out of a standard cake pan.

3. Storage – Cake will keep for 5 days in the fridge. But always bring to room temp before serving, though best to serve slightly warm! If it’s quite cool where you are it will keep in the pantry too, in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 324cal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 426IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

Me: in Brisbane, at the final Good Food & Wine Show for the year. Dozer: at the Golden Retriever Boarders’ house. She’s always a little offended because Dozer gives her husband a more enthusiastic greeting than she gets. 

She is a vegetarian. Her husband is a carnivore. Dozer is not subtle.

This is a photo she sent me yesterday of Dozer waiting at the gate to greet her husband when got home from work! 

The post Bursting Blueberry Crumb Cake appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

In this post, I’m sharing my easy way to line cake pans with paper. No drawing outlines then cutting out rounds. Nope! It’s really quick and easy.

How to line a cake pan (easily!)

Here’s how I do it:

1. Tear off a sheet of baking paper / parchment paper.

2. Fold it in half.

3. Then fold in in half again.

4. Then keep folding until you form a long pointy triangle.

5. Measure it against the cake pan with the pointy end in the middle of the pan.

6. Then snip the end off.

7. Unfold and voila! Look at that, a near-perfect circle base for your cake-pan.

8. Grease the cake pan using butter (sticks best) or oil spray (works but paper will slide a bit).

9. Press into the base. 

10. Then tear off strips of paper and stick to the walls. My 20cm / 8” cake pan requires 2 full length strips plus a scrap to patch up a gap.

There you go! I hope you find this useful.

And here’s a video tutorial so you can watch me do it:

Pre-cut paper rounds

Though, if you are an avid baker, did you know you can buy pre-cut paper rounds in varying sizes? I have 20cm/8” ones and 23cm / 9” rounds. Super handy! I purchase mine online.

Though to be honest, weirdly, I default to cutting my own. It’s just habit!. – Nagi x

PS Just to share a little anecdote about this method: At the time I figured out how to do this, I really thought I was the first person in the world to discover this. I thought I was so clever, and I applauded myself for coming up with this handy hack.

But a quick search online showed it’s been done by professionals and home cooks “forever”.

Ah well. In my mind, I was the pioneer of this!! 

The post How to line a cake pan with paper appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Today’s post is a recipe for how to cook eggplant on the stove with virtually no oil. I use a highly effective, simple pan-steaming method used for Asian dumplings like gyoza! Plus, I’m sharing 8+ ways to serve this pan fried eggplant. Which one is your favourite??

How I cook eggplant on the stove with virtually no oil!

Anybody who has ever cooked eggplant knows they’re greedy oil-sucking sponges. So here’s how I cook them on the stove using very little oil – less than 1/2 teaspoon of oil for a WHOLE eggplant! 

Basically, I cook them the same way I do Asian dumplings – seared then pan-steamed. So you just need to spray the eggplant with oil before cooking in a dry pan. Works a treat, super fast, and ultra healthy.

It’s also a great method to cook thick slabs of eggplant on the stove which can be a bit tricky to do without burning the surface!

So while today’s post might seem a little out of place amongst the usual meal recipes I share, I think it’s a really useful one that will serve you well for the rest of your life.

Plus, I’m sharing a whole bunch of ways to serve this pan fried eggplant. Spend those calories you saved while cooking the eggplant on the toppings to turn it into a tasty meal!! Here’s a little preview of some of a couple: Caprese Eggplant (left) and Hainanese Eggplant (right).

Ingredients

If you give me oil, salt and pepper for free, then this is a ONE ingredient recipe – just eggplant!!

• Eggplant types – This recipe will work for large or small eggplants, including Asian eggplants. You need to cut them into rounds or lengthwise into long slabs so there is at least one cut face that sits flat on the pan, so it cooks through. For Asian eggplants, I just split them in half lengthwise.

  Thickness – Cut the eggplant up to 2 ½ cm / 1” thick. You’ll be amazed how quickly it cooks through! After searing the surface, it only takes about 2 minutes for the middle to become soft using the pan-steaming method.

• Oil spray – This is the best way to get oil coverage using very little oil. I tried to measure it out and I used less than ½ teaspoon oil across 8 slices of eggplant, spraying generously. I like using olive oil spray because it has better flavour.

  But if you don’t have or prefer not to use spray, just brush oil on. You’ll need about 2 tablespoons for 8 slices. Use any oil you want – olive oil, vegetable, canola, coconut oil, even melted butter.

• Adding other flavours – This recipe is a blank canvas you can take in many directions! Sprinkle the eggplant with a seasoning (paprika, onion and garlic is a foolproof combination) or brush with harissa paste mixed into the oil.

For today’s recipe, I’m searing the eggplants with just salt and pepper then providing a list of options for how to serve it with sauces and toppings. Just wait until you see all the possibilities!

How to cook eggplant on the stove – with very little oil!

You’ll need a large frying pan with a lid for this recipe. I use the lid of a large pot which is larger than my pan. You could also use a large baking tray or another frying pan. Anything to trap the steam in!

1. Cut the eggplant into rounds. I like thick meaty rounds about 2 cm / 0.8” thick, though this method will cook for thinner rounds too, and up to about 3 cm / 1.2”. 

   Note on thickness: This method is to cook thick slices of eggplant. If you are after thin slices, say 5mm / 0.2” thick, there’s no need to pan steam. Just spray with oil and pan sear, it will only take a couple of minutes on each side to cook through.

2. Spray the surface generously with oil, then sprinkle with salt (you can use pepper too, if you want).

3. Sear – Heat a large non-stick pan over medium high heat, with no oil. Then place the eggplant in the pan and sear until browned on both sides. This can take 1 ½ to 2 minutes, depending on how well the heat distributes in your pan and how big your burner is. Control the heat as needed for nice even browning. 

   At this stage, the eggplant will still be completely raw inside.

4. Add water – Carefully pour ¼ cup of water around the eggplant. The water will bubble up and get steamy quickly so pour slowly.

5. Pan-steam – Quickly put the lid on to trap the steam to cook the eggplant. Leave it for 2 minutes or until the water has evaporated.

6. Check to see if the eggplant is cooked by stabbing it with a butter knife (not a sharp cutting knife as it is too sharp so you can’t tell if the eggplant is fully cooked or not). It should be completely soft all the way through. If not, just add a splash of water and keep steaming. That’s the great thing about this technique, you can keep doing this multiple times until the eggplant is cooked through!

Once cooked, transfer to a serving plate! You can eat it as is – delicious, because eggplant is so ridiculously juicy inside and you seasoned it with salt and pepper. But see below for a whole bunch of other ways to serve this!

Suggestion for ways to serve pan-fried eggplant

If I want to do a little more but still keep things effortless, I just add a swish of extra virgin olive oil, sea salt flakes and a squeeze of lemon. If I’m cooking to impress, I might even sprinkle over a few parsley leaves – going all out! 😂 This is picture above. (To take it over the top, add a shower of parmesan. So good!)

But, if you want to make your eggplant-eating life even more exciting, here’s a list of suggestions. Just wait until you see the variety of possibilities!

1. Chilli crisp eggplant

The fastest way to dress up pan-fried eggplant: add a good smear of your favourite chilli crisp! (My go-to store bought Chilli Crisp is Lao Ganman “Angry Auntie” which is a worldwide favourite).

2. Caprese Eggplant

Topped with tomato, basil, crumbled goats cheese or feta with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. I especially like eating this on toast!

3. HAINANESE Eggplant

Named as such because it’s served with the Hainanese Chicken ginger shallot sauce plus a drizzle of sriracha. And it’s amazing! Ginger shallot sauce recipe here.

4. SAUCE VIERGE

Bright Mediterranean flavours in this olive-tomato-garlic-herb vinaigrette style modern French salsa-sauce that I love serving with seared tuna steak. It works so well with eggplant! Sauce Vierge recipe here.

5. DUKKAH WITH TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE

I really need to share our dukkah recipe with you! For now, use store bought.  Use the tahini sauce from this recipe.

6. WITH A MOUNTAIN OF PARMESAN BREADCRUMBS

A slather of garlic yogurt sauce and a mound of garlic parmesan panko is a ridiculously delicious combination of flavours and textures!

7. MORE IDEAS

• More toppings – chimichurri, salsa verde, pico de gallo, avocado corn salsa from this recipe

• Replace the sweet potato steak in this recipe with this pan-fried eggplant

• Replace the pumpkin in this Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts

• Replace the zucchini in this grilled zucchini with Spicy Asian Sauce recipe

• Pile over lentils ragout, farro salad or Pearl Couscous Salad or lentil salad

And with that, I’m done. Who knew I had so much to say about pan-fried eggplant?? 

Now for the best part – getting ideas from. Share, share, share! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Almost no-oil Pan Fried Eggplant

Recipe video above. This is a recipe for how to cook eggplant on the stove with virtually no oil – less than 1/2 teaspoon for a whole eggplant! I use a highly effective, simple pan-steaming method used for Asian dumplings like gyoza!

Eat it as is, or see in post for a list of toppings and sauces to serve with this pan fried eggplant. Which one is your favourite??

Course Main, Side

Cuisine Western

Keyword how to cook eggplant, how to cook eggplant on the stove, pan fried eggplant

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 13 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 121cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant (aubergine), around 20cm/8” (~400g/14 oz) (Note 1)
• Olive oil spray (or other oil spray) (Note 2)
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup water

Sauces and toppings for serving:

• See in post for ideas and links to recipes for sauces etc!

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Cut the eggplant into 2cm / 0.8” rounds.
• Spray each side generously with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Brown – Heat a large non-stick pan with a lid over medium high heat, no oil. (Note 3) Add the eggplant slices and pan fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until you get some nice browning on it. As much or as little as you want!
• Pan steam – Carefully add water around the eggplant (it will bubble and steam, so do this carefully). Then immediately cover with a lid to trap the steam in. Steam for 2 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
• Check – Use a butter knife to check to ensure the eggplant is cooked through. If not, add a bit more water and steam again!
• Serve – Transfer to a serving plate and serve! Great as is, or to dress it up a tiny bit, add a swish of olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice and parsley leaves, or a smear of chilli crisp! See in post for more ways to serve.

Notes

1. Eggplant (aubergine) – For Asian eggplant (ie the long thin cucumber shaped ones), split in half lengthwise. Sear the cut face and the skin side. Add water and cook using this method.

Thickness of slices – This method is for thick slices of eggplant around 2 – 2.5cm / 1” thick. If you are after thin slices of eggplant ~5mm / 0.2”, there’s no need to do the steaming step. You can just pan-fry it for 2 minutes on each side.

2. Oil spray is the best for even coverage. If you prefer to brush oil on, you’ll need around 2 – 2 ½ tbsp of oil for 6 large rounds as pictured (eggplant absorbs oil so easily!).

3. Lid for pan – I just use the lid of a large pot which is actually larger than my pan but works fine to trap the steam in. You could also use a baking tray.

4. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days but it does tend to get watery and mushy. Best served freshly cooked!

Nutrition for the whole recipe ie assuming it serves 1!

Nutrition

Calories: 121cal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 923mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

For short trips, I’ll just pop him in the boot which is his preference. He likes to sprawl. But for longer distances, I always belt him up. Safety first!

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