Chicken Ragù & Creste di Gallo Pasta

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Heat a small pot of salted water to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the eggplants lengthwise. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs, and seeds of the peppers. Medium dice. Using the flat side of your knife, smash the olives; remove and discard the pits. Roughly chop.

Place the eggplants on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single layer, cut side down. Roast 14 to 16 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven; carefully transfer to a medium bowl.

While the eggplants roast, in a large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the ground chicken; season with salt and pepper. Cook, frequently breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

Add the garlic and peppers to the pan; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil.) Cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until dark red and fragrant. Add 1 cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until thickened and saucy. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the sauce cooks, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until just shy of al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Drain thoroughly and transfer to the pan of sauce. Add the butter and cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly coated and the butter has melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the fromage blanc. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir the olives, vinegar, and a drizzle of olive oil into the bowl of roasted eggplants; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Divide the finished pasta between 2 dishes. Garnish with the parmesan cheese. Serve with the finished eggplants on the side. Enjoy!