Ragu
2 egg plants
1 x 400g tin of plum tomatoes mashed up using your hand
5 plump garlic peeled and sliced
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 tablespoon plain flour
8-10 basil leaves
12 pitted black olives and roughly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of sugar
Creamy Polenta:
400 grams Instant Polenta
40 grams butter cubed
30 grams freshly Microplaned Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste
Cook the ragu first. Cube the eggplant (no need to peel). Sprinkle salt generously on the eggplant and let sit in a colander for at least an hour. Squeeze out all the water and dust pieces with the flour. Heat the olive oil in a deep enough sauce pan (one that you would use to make the sauce / ragu in) and fry the eggplant pieces in batches. Set aside. Once all the eggplant is fried, add the garlic to the oil taking care not to burn the garlic pieces. Once garlic gets a bit of colour and the fragrance is evident, add the tomatoes, chilli flakes, olives and some of the basil leaves saving a few for garnish. Add salt (may not need much as you have salted the eggplant), pepper and pinch of sugar. Stir to combine and let it come up to the boil. Mix in the eggplant pieces and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. The sauce should be rich and thick. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with creamy polenta or pasta.
Creamy polenta
Cook the polenta as per the instructions on the packet. Once cooked, stir in the butter mixing to avoid lumps. It should look smooth and creamy. Then stir in the microplaned parmesan. Taste and adjust salt according to your taste. Serve hot immediately.