A recipe from the 1929 Italian cookbook 'The Talisman of Happiness' reveals the secret to perfect tortiglioni with peppers and eggplant. The cookbook, written by Ada Boni, one of Italy's first food writers, has never been out of print and has sold over one million copies.
The recipe emphasises careful preparation. For dried pasta, the water must be measured precisely: 10 cups of water for every 1 pound of pasta. Salt should be added as soon as the water boils, and the pasta must be cooked until al dente, when it has lost its stiffness but still offers resistance when bitten.
To prepare the sauce, roast peppers until the skin blackens, then cool, rub off the skin, rinse, and remove stems and seeds. Cut into strips. Slice eggplant in half and cut into strips. Trim the celery heart into fine batons. Peel and finely chop carrot with parsley.
Lightly heat oil in a pan and add all prepared vegetables. Sauté slowly until golden. Add peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, adding a little boiling water if necessary and a touch of salt.
Cook the pasta in plenty of lightly salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, turn into a bowl, and toss with the sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan. The dish is best served immediately in a warm serving dish.
