Mojo de ajo is certainly one of my favorite Mexican sauces. Garlic, and many it, is poached very gently in oil with thyme and a touch of smoked chipotle chilli for flavour and heat; after about half an hour, the garlic turns tender, candy and irresistibly good. The sauce is flexible, too, making a phenomenal marinade for grilled meats and in addition fantastic on roast greens or blanched inexperienced leaves.
Pasta with charred aubergine, ricotta and mojo de ajo
Do that with a chilli oil constructed from habanero chillies and Mexican oregano, or with Sichuan peppercorns and coriander seeds.
Prep 20 min
Cook dinner 45 min
Serves 4
3 giant aubergines, stems eliminated and quartered lengthways
1 onion, peeled and quartered
6 giant tomatoes (or 650g tomatoes of any dimension)
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper
250g ricotta
1 lemon, zested, plus juice of ½ lemon
300g rigatoni
1 huge handful basil leaves, roughly shredded
For the mojo
2 complete garlic heads
2 tsp chipotle en adobo, finely chopped
200ml olive or vegetable oil
1 small handful thyme sprigs, picked
1 tsp flaky sea salt
First make the mojo. Break up the garlic heads, then smash every clove a couple of times with a rolling pin, so you’ll be able to peel them simply. Finely mince the peeled garlic in a small meals processor, then switch to a small, heavy-based pan with the remainder of the mojo substances. Warmth gently till the oil begins to bubble, then flip down the warmth to its lowest setting and simmer very gently for half an hour (for those who cook dinner it too shortly, the garlic will burn and you’ll lose the flavour of the olive oil).
In the meantime, char the greens both below a scorching grill or on a griddle or dry frying pan. If utilizing the grill, organize them in a single layer on foil-lined trays, brush with two to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season, then grill for 20-Half-hour, till blackened. If you’re dry-roasting, you don’t want so as to add oil, simply fry them over a scorching flame.
Whereas the greens are charring, drain the ricotta, combine it with the lemon zest and a tablespoon of olive oil, then season to style. Cook dinner the pasta based on the packet directions, then drain, reserving a cup of the cooking water to loosen the sauce later.
As soon as the greens are tender to the tip of a knife and properly charred, chop them into bite-sized items (discard the aubergine stems) and tip into a big bowl. Stir by way of the basil and heat pasta, season, and costume with two to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice. Style and alter the seasoning as mandatory, then serve in heat bowls topped with the ricotta combine and with the mojo on the facet for folks to assist themselves.
The easy flex
To make this vegan, omit the ricotta and as an alternative toss the aubergine pasta with giant chunks of golden ciabatta croutons and chopped toasted almonds.
