Tomato Pasta with Eggplants, Capers, and Olives: If you are looking for a simple and incredibly tasty first course, this recipe is ideal.
The recipe is extremely simple, and the combination is well-tested. A very rich and flavorful dish that I prepare when I have guests for lunch and want to please everyone around the table.
Indeed, capers and olives with eggplants are a perfect combination even as a second course and side dish, but I am absolutely convinced in saying that on pasta they take it up a notch.
It is a flavorful and tasty first course; we could actually say it is a perfect single dish given the presence of pasta carbohydrates and the vegetable portion represented by the eggplants, all further enhanced with tomato and extra virgin olive oil to complete the dish.
This dish is ideal to prepare when eggplants and tomatoes are in season and well-ripened. Alternatively, you can use peeled tomatoes, perfect for a recipe that does not require long cooking.
For the success of this recipe, the quality of the ingredients is crucial. Being few, they must all be of excellent choice: nice eggplants (preferably organic), high-quality tomato puree or, even better, well-ripened seasonal tomatoes. All of this, of course, should be seasoned with a fine extra virgin olive oil.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 3 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Autumn
- Energy 245.69 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 35.17 (g) of which sugars 2.71 (g)
- Proteins 6.62 (g)
- Fat 9.73 (g) of which saturated 1.42 (g)of which unsaturated 1.85 (g)
- Fibers 5.14 (g)
- Sodium 1,096.55 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 240 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Tomato Pasta with Eggplants, Capers, and Olives
- 11 oz pasta (Penne, Rigatoni, Spaghetti)
- 2 eggplants (medium)
- 1.1 lbs tomato pulp (or tomatoes for sauce or puree or peeled)
- 1.75 oz Taggiasca olives (pitted)
- 2 tsps salted capers (Rinse thoroughly!)
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- basil
- salt
- pepper
Tools
- Pot
- Colander
- Frying Pan
Steps
Tomato Pasta with Eggplants, Capers, and Olives
Wash the eggplants, trim the ends, peel them, and cut them into cubes about 0.4-0.6 inches.
My version Quick Option (recommended): Heat a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauté the eggplant cubes until they are soft and golden brown.
Traditional Option: Fry the eggplant cubes in plenty of hot seed oil until golden.Drain them on paper towels and lightly salt them.
Rinse the capers under cold running water, squeeze them, and set aside. In a large pan (where you’ll toss the pasta), heat 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with a garlic clove (whole or minced, as preferred).
When the garlic is golden, remove it (if whole) and add the tomato pulp and a pinch of salt. Let it cook over medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes. Halfway through the sauce’s cooking, add the rinsed capers and olives.
Boil water for the pasta, and when it boils, salt it.
Calculate the pasta and cook it according to the time indicated on the package.
It’s better to keep it al dente to finish cooking in the pan.
In the last minutes of sauce cooking, add the pre-sautéed or fried eggplant cubes and mix gently.
Drain the pasta very al dente and pour it directly into the pan with the sauce.
Add a ladleful of cooking water and finish the pasta on high heat for a minute.
Turn off the heat and add plenty of fresh basil broken by hand.Serve immediately with a drizzle of raw olive oil and, if desired, a sprinkle of black pepper.
Enjoy your meal!
Tips
If you want a lighter version do this: If you prefer a less caloric version and don’t want to fry the eggplants, you can cut them into cubes and bake them at 392°F (fan-assisted) with a drizzle of oil until golden. They will be soft and tasty.
For a more flavorful sauce (if you do not fry them): Keep the eggplant cubes in salted water for 30 minutes before cooking them. This helps remove bitterness and makes them firmer.
The Secret Aroma: For an even more summery and fresh scent, add a few chopped fresh mint leaves along with the basil at the end of the preparation. It pairs perfectly with the eggplant.
If it is not strictly vegetarian, a final sprinkle of grated salted ricotta or Pecorino Romano adds a spicy and salty note that enhances the sauce.
For those who love strong flavors, sauté a small piece of fresh (or dried) chili with the garlic at the beginning.
Short, ridged pasta shapes (like Penne or Rigatoni) better capture the dense sauce and eggplant cubes.
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