Aumm Aumm - Aubergine and Scamorza Pasta

A Seasonal Supper for July from the Island of Capri

Hi hi hi hello More Please Subscribers! It may not have come home last night but it certainly will be coming home in the figurative sense if you make this absolutely delicious pasta recipe (sorry I couldn’t resist).

I am not one of those people who is evangelical about aubergines. I am way more of a courgette gal, as I have frequently attested to here. They are great and all, but I just am drawn to other vegetables. The exception to this rule is when they are deep fried in olive oil. Then all bets are off. A fried aubergine is an ambrosial thing. Buttery, juicy, smokey - it is just the making of that vegetable in my opinion and the best way to eat it or use it. And that’s another thing I love about it, once fried it can be employed in a number of different ways. It can be eaten just as it is, or chucked in a salad or on some bread. It can be marinated in vinegar and herbs and kept for a few days in the fridge to be used as a condiment or pickle, or made into a caponata or used in a number of rich vegetable stews. It can be blitzed up into sauces or dips, or in this case used a main component in a truly divine pasta, with only a handful of other ingredients.

Aubergines are at their best and their cheapest right now, so it might be a good idea to buy a load, fry a load and then store them up for the summer in one or many of the ways listed above. And if you fancy some summer indulgence, then I do suggest you give Aumm Aumm a go.

Aumm Aumm is literally the Italian for “hush, hush” because this dish is so good they had to keep it a secret. As usual I have my foot in my mouth here, blowing it up on Substack but a girl’s literally gotta eat! The sauce is made from fried aubergine, the ripest, freshest summer tomatoes and mozzarella or scamorza cheese. I have found versions of both, and while I love the simple and gentle flavour of mozzarella, I really love the smokey tang of scamorza with the rich aubergine and sweet tomatoes. I’ve also added a red onion to mine, which isn’t necessarily traditional but I love the extra sweetness it gives. You can leave it out if you prefer.

Next week on More Please - PICNIC FOOD