SERVES 4
I made up this dish on the fly on The Chew and was surprised by how much we all loved it. I am a big fan of using instant mashed potato flakes for just about anything except mashed potatoes, so this gives me great joy!
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup instant mashed potatoes (flakes)
1 eggplant, cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds
½ yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, plus 1 tablespoon of their packing oil
1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand, with their juices
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 (1-pound) package angel hair pasta
½ cup mozzarella, cut into small cubes
Fresh basil leaves, torn
¼ cup red pepper jelly
In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Line a plate with paper towels.
Place the eggs in a shallow dish, and the instant mashed potato flakes in a second shallow dish.
Dip the eggplant slices into the eggs, letting any excess drip off, and then dredge them in the instant potatoes, shaking off any excess. Fry the eggplant for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Transfer to the paper towel–lined plate to drain.
In a large pot or small Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until slightly softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic, anchovies, and tomatoes. Season with the red pepper flakes. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to come together.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season with salt. Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than instructed on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat (you can wipe the pan clean that you used for the eggplant) and add a few ladlefuls of the pasta sauce. Add the pasta and cook for a minute; remove from the heat and add the mozzarella. Stir until the cheese is just melted and holding together.
Using an immersion blender, carefully puree the remaining tomato sauce in the pot.
Scoop a ladleful of the tomato sauce on a plate and spread to create a bed of sauce. Top with a slice of eggplant. Top with a twirl of pasta and some basil. Add another layer of eggplant, then pasta (a little less than the bottom layer) and basil, then top with an eggplant slice, a smear of pepper jelly, and some more fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.