Roasted eggplants are an excellent pairing with pasta. Sun-dried tomatoes enhance this vegetarian dish. An easy recipe, yet extremely gratifying. You can substitute Rigatoni with Penne.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 12-14 oz (340 – 400 g) Rigatoni, depending on the appetite
- 1 medium eggplant, about 1 lb (450 g), cut into 1 inch (2,5 cm) cubes
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup (200 g) fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup (85 g) sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
- fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped for garnish
- Parmesan cheese, grated
Preparation:
Preheat the broiler. Brush eggplant cubes with 2 tablespoon olive oil on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange eggplant cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil them for about 5 minutes until golden on one side. Turn them and broil them on the other side again. Remove eggplant from oven, cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil, and keep it warm.
Bring salted water to a boil in a saucepan for cooking the Rigatoni. Add Rigatoni and cook it according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of cooking pasta water.
In the meantime, heat the 2 remaining tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add the chopped onions and cook them for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and vinegar. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook it for about 10 minutes. If the sauce seems too thick add a bit of the reserved pasta water. Add broiled eggplant cubes and mix them in gently, taking care not to mash the eggplant. Taste for salt and pepper.
When Rigatoni finishes cooking, drain it and return it to the saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pasta and toss it.
Serve on warmed plates with the tomato eggplant mix on top. Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts, chopped parsley leaves, and Parmesan cheese. Serve it at once.
