Pasta With Eggplant And Pork - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 pinch saffron thread, about 24
1 medium firm eggplant
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground pork
1 teaspoon fennel seed
3 -4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small onion, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 hot chili pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 lb short-cut pasta, whatever shape you like
pecorino romano cheese

Preparation

Place chicken stock and saffron threads in a small pot. Bring to a simmer to infuse and concentrate flavor.
Meanwhile, peel half the skin off the eggplant. Dice very finely into 1/8-inch pieces. Sprinkle with salt and reserve.
Place a large pot of water over high heat for the pasta.
Heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add pork and lightly brown while finely crumbling it into tiny bits. Season with fennel, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, thyme and a little chili pepper.
Squeeze any liquid from the eggplant then stir it into the pork. Cook about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently until eggplant is tender. Deglaze with white wine, stir a minute then add reduced saffon-infused stock - about 1 cup. Stir in cream and simmer over low heat while pasta cooks.
Cook pasta to al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup starchy cooking liquid, then drain and toss the pasta with the sauce, adding liquid as necessary to combine. Toss 1-2 minutes.
Serve in shallow bowls topped with freshly grated Pecorino and a bit more thyme for garnish.