Main dish of first day. Rigatoni with mozarella and aubergine sauce.
Inspired by Jamie 
This is a clasical combination of ingredients..at least for meditteranean cuisine. Tomato sauce with aubergines, onions and garlic and cheese…
Rigatoni with sweet tomatoes, aubergine and mozarella
for 2 persons
Half aubergine (or a small one)
1 clove of garlic
1 small onion
1 tin of good quality tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
sea salt and fresh ground black and red pepper
1 green chili pepper (chopped without the seeds)
2 tablespoons double cream
250gr rigatoni
200gr mozarella (good quality)
1 piece of Parmegano Regiano
Remove both ends of aubergine and cut in slices about 1cm each. Then slice these accross to create little cubes.
Now put a saucepan on the heat with 4-5 tbsp of olive oil (you don’t need extra virgin for cooking but you need it for drizzling in salads and/or fresh food). When the pan is hot add the aubergines cubes and stir around to full coat in olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes in medium heat. Then add the chopped garlic and onion. After they become translucent put the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar. Stir around and carefully season with fresh salt and pepper. Now you can add the green chili pepper, so that you can give a little extra heat to the dish. After simmering the sauce for about 15 minutes you can add the double cream.
At the same time bring a large pan with plenty of salted water, bring to the boil and cook the past following the packet instuctions. When the pasta is ready drizzle with extra virgin oil and move around so it becomes dressed. Alternatively you can put un-salted butter in room temperature to give it a smoother, creamier touch.
At this point put the pasta in the dish, cover with sauce, and put big parts of mozarella cheese *just* before serving it! So, when you bring it to the table it will have a cheesy, melty result that’s just a heaven! Bring the big piece of Parmesano Regiano with a grater next to your guests so everyone can fill her dish!
Enjoy:)
Singapore Sling. Variation.
As far as you know a cocktail or a good drink can stimulate your appetite! So as a first dinner I decided to prepare Rigatoni with sweet tomatoes, aubergine and mozarella accompanied by a sweet cocktail named Singapore Sling.
This drink was invented by Ngiam Tong Boon for the Raffles Hotel in Singapore sometime between 1910 and 1915 (check Wikipedia for more info). It uses as an alcohol base Gin and Cherry Brandy though I change the latter with Cherry Liquer (it was easiest to find in a Saturday night).
Singapore sling cocktail variation
30ml gin
15ml cherry liqeur
15 cointreau
10 grenadine (i used one with wild fruits)
15 lime juice
120 pineapple juice4 ice cubes
club soda to top
Put the (cracked) ice in a bartender shaker.
Pour the liquer, gin, grenadine and juices over the ice.
Shake vigorousely until frost forms.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass (at least that’s what I did – I think the right way is to put in a high glass;) and garnish with Maraschino cherries and a segment of a lime!
Transported.
Today I decided to switch from LiveJournal. I had nice memories but I think the whole site is a bit complicated even for paid accounts…:S
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