Most of us associate pasta with Italian cuisine, but it should not surprise us to see a Provençal pasta recipe. Provence is the southern part of France along the Mediterranean. The Italian Riviera and the French Riviera are really one gorgeous Mediterranean coastline.
The Italian Influence
Remember that the seven popes headed the Roman Catholic Church from Avignon for most of the 14th century. The “Pape” in Chateauneuf du Pape, one of the region’s most famous wines, refers to the Pope John XXII who, along with the other Avignon Popes did much to promote the region’s Burgundy.
The culinary influence of what we now call Italy and what we now call France goes back long before either country had the borders we know now. Catherine de Medici is often credited with bringing the culinary refinement of Florence to the royal court of France when she married, in Marseilles, the soon-to-be king Henri II.
Characteristics of Provençal Cuisine
Provençal cuisine probably has more in common with Italian cuisine than Parisian French cuisine. Olive oil is used more often than butter. Sauces tend to be lighter, which makes Provençal dishes more popular to today’s health-conscious home cook.
Provençal Pasta Recipe
This Provençal pasta recipe uses, as the sauce for noodles, Provence’s famous ratatouille (a mash of zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers and tomatoes).
Yield: 4 servings
You will need: a large skillet with a lid
Ingredients:
- 1 medium eggplant, diced (not peeled
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 each: red and green bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1½ cups peeled tomatoes, with their juice (see note)
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- fresh tagliatelle for 4 servings, or about 1 pound dried
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Method:
- In a large colander placed over a bowl, add all of the eggplant and sprinkle liberally with table salt, making sure all sides are salted. Let this sit for one hour so that the salt draws out excess moisture and a lot of the bitterness of the eggplant.
- Rinse the eggplant and pat it dry with paper towels.
- In a large skillet over medium flame, heat the oil and then add the peppers, onion and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper, reduce the flame to low and let the vegetables sweat, covered, until they are very soft, about 30 minutes.
- Add the zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes and let the mixture cook until the zucchini and eggplant are soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and cook for just another two minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot of well-salted water, cook the pasta until it is al dente, soft but not mushy, still slightly firm in the middle.
- Drain the pasta and turn it into a large serving bowl. Pour the ratatouille sauce over and toss to combine. Garnish the dish with chopped fresh basil.
For more Provençal recipes, try:
- Tuna Salade Niçoise with Asparagus
- Poulet a l'Orange Méditerranée: Citrus-Infused Chicken with Olives and Rosemary
- Mediterranean Baked Salmon with Potatoes
Larry Ervin - Foodie, self-taught cook and cookbook addict, I never met a recipe I didn't want to twist, simplify, add or switch out ingredients.
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