Aubergine Spaghetti Recipes

SICILIAN SPAGHETTI ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Chop the aubergines into rough 2cm chunks. Place into a colander in the sink, sprinkle with sea salt to draw out the moisture, then set aside for around 20 minutes.
• Peel and finely slice the garlic, then pick the basil leaves and finely slice the stalks.
• Rinse the aubergine and pat dry with kitchen paper, then place into a large bowl with the oregano, chilli flakes, a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Toss together well.
• Drizzle a splash of olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the aubergines in a single layer, and fry for 5 to 8 minutes, or until softened and golden, stirring occasionally - you may need to do this in batches.
• Add another splash of olive oil, followed by the garlic, capers and basil stalks, then cook for a further 2 minutes, or until golden.
• Stir in the vinegar and the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick and glossy.
• Cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling salted water for 8 minutes or until al dente, which means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of bite and firmness to it.
• Drain the spaghetti, reserving a cupful of the cooking water, then add a good splash of the reserved water to the aubergine sauce.
• Finely grate in half the cheese and tear in most of the reserved basil leaves. Add a lug of extra virgin olive oil, then season to taste.
• Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss well, adding an extra splash of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed.
• Divide between bowls, grate over the remaining cheese and finish with the remaining basil scattered on top.

CHEESY AUBERGINE & TOMATO SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and drizzle 1 tsp oil over a non-stick baking tray. Press the aubergine into the oil, turn and bake for 10 mins. Mix the cheese with the hazelnuts. Turn the aubergine, top with the sage leaves and cheese mix and bake for 10-12 mins until tender.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the garlic, carrot, celery and chopped sage for 5 mins, stirring, until just soft. Add the olives, tomato purée, bouillon powder and 200ml water, cover and cook for 5 mins more.
• Cook the spaghetti following pack instructions, then drain, reserving some of the cooking water. Toss with the cooked veg, tomatoes and most of the parsley, loosening with some of the reserved water if needed. Top with the aubergine and remaining parsley.

AUBERGINE SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Cut the aubergines into chunky cubes, sprinkle them with some salt and let them sit for 20 minutes. Dry them off with kitchen paper, pressing lightly.
• Saute: Peel the garlic cloves, smash them slightly but leave them whole. Heat the olive oil in a wide non-stick pan and add the garlic cloves. Turn the heat to low and fry the garlic, stirring often, until it starts to sizzle and smell. Don't let it burn.
• Add the aubergines, stir to coat them in oil, and cook on medium heat until translucent and soft.
• Simmer: Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs, and stock. Bring everything to a boil, cover the pan leaving a crack open and let cook for about 20 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the aubergines are very soft. If there is too much liquid left in the pan by the time the aubergines are soft, just take away the lid and let the sauce bubble for a little while longer.
• Cook pasta: While the sauce is cooking, start cooking the spaghetti.
• Mix: Mash the aubergines with a fork, add the sliced basil leaves, season to taste, and mix with the spaghetti. Serve with some grated Parmesan if desired.

TOMATO & AUBERGINE PASTA

Steps:

• Boil the pasta according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergine for 5 mins. Season to taste. Add garlic and sugar, and fry for another 2 mins until the garlic is softened. Tip the tomatoes, capers and parsley into the pan, warm through briefly then fold through the cooked, drained pasta.

PASTA ARRABBIATA WITH AUBERGINE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan, add the onions, cover and cook for 5 mins. Remove the lid and cook for 5 mins more, stirring frequently until softened. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and paprika, stir briefly, then tip in the tomatoes and a can of water. Stir in the bouillon and aubergine, then bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 mins.
• Cook the penne in a pan of boiling water for 12 mins until al dente. Drain, reserving 60ml of the cooking water. Add the cooked penne to the sauce, and toss well with the basil and a little of the reserved water, if needed. Spoon into two shallow bowls, and serve topped with the cheese and some extra basil, if you like.

ROASTED AUBERGINE, TOMATO & BASIL PASTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the aubergine chunks with the oil and whole garlic cloves in a roasting tin with some seasoning. Roast for 10 mins, add the tomatoes, vinegar and sugar, then cook for another 5 mins. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, then drain.
• When the veg is tender remove the garlic cloves, snip off their ends and squeeze the roasted garlic onto a board. Mash with a fork, then stir this garlic paste back into the veg with the basil leaves - squashing most of the tomatoes as you go. Tip in the cooked pasta, stir everything together in the roasting tin, divide between 2 bowls, then scatter with a few more basil leaves to serve.

AUBERGINE MILANESE WITH SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut the aubergine into 1cm slices lengthways. Put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs into separate bowls. Season the flour well with salt and pepper, and stir the finely grated Grana Padano into the breadcrumbs. Working one strip at a time, coat the aubergine in the flour, then the egg, letting the excess drip off before dunking in the cheesy breadcrumbs.
• Heat 4 tbsp oil in a wide frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the breaded aubergines in batches for 2-3 mins until golden and crisp. Flip over with tongs and fry on the other side for another 2-3 mins. Transfer to a baking sheet, and fry the remaining batches. Add more oil to the pan in between batches if you need to. Transfer to the oven and cook for 15-20 mins until very tender throughout.
• While the aubergines are in the oven, wipe out the pan, heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the garlic for a few mins until fragrant. Tip in the tomatoes with half a can of water and some seasoning. Simmer for 10 mins until thickened slightly.
• Cook the spaghetti following the pack instructions and drain, keeping 100ml pasta water. Tip the pasta into the tomato sauce and toss well to coat. Add a splash of the pasta water if you need to loosen the sauce slightly. Divide the spaghetti between plates and top with the aubergine Milanese. Scatter with the remaining Grana Padano cheese shavings and serve with a rocket salad dressed in a little balsamic.

PASTA ALLA NORMA

Steps:

• Toss the aubergines with the salt, then tip into a colander set over a bowl for 30 mins, to extract any moisture.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a casserole dish or saucepan. Tip in the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook over a low heat for 10 mins. Add the garlic and chilli, and cook for 1 min. Tip in the tomatoes and sugar, and bring to the simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• Pat the aubergine dry with kitchen paper, then toss with the remaining oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 mins until softened and golden around the edges. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions, reserving 100ml of the cooking water.
• Stir the aubergine into the sauce with the basil and capers. Season to taste, then toss the spaghetti in the pan with the sauce and a splash of the pasta water. Divide between four bowls and top with the ricotta and extra basil, if using.