Sicilian Pasta Caponata
I had a sad looking aubergine in my fridge the other day so decided to make my version of the traditional Sicilian dish - caponata. I had this many times when we were on holiday there last summer and its the perfect mix of sweet and sour flavours. Sweetness from tomatoes, raisins and a hint of dark chocolate, sourness from vinegar and lemon and a salty hit from anchovies and capers. Heaven in a bowl and all using store cupboard ingredients.
Serves 2
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/180C. Chop the aubergine into cubes and place on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season and roast for 30 minutes until crispy and golden.
Meanwhile, add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large sauté pan and add a finely chopped red onion and a couple of finely diced celery sticks. Sauté for 10-12 minutes over a medium heat until softened and translucent.
Add 2 crushed garlic cloves and stir. Add 1 tbsp tomato puree and stir again before adding 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp capers, 40g raisins, 50g roughly chopped Kalamata olives and a large pinch of chilli flakes.
Boil 150g penne pasta according to the packet instructions in plenty of well-salted water.
Add 225g cherry tomatoes, 400g passata or a can of chopped tomatoes to the pasta sauce and simmer for 15-20 minutes until thickened.
Add the roasted aubergine, cooked pasta along with a splash of the pasta water, 10g 70% cocoa dark chocolate, a squeeze of lemon, a large handful of chopped basil and a pinch of sugar. Taste and correct the seasoning as required.
Top with fresh basil, parmesan, and toasted pine nuts.