Tuna and eggplant pasta in white (no cherry tomatoes), a simpler version of our famous Tuna with fresh eggplant and cherry tomatoes pasta, but just as tasty and a summer eggplant recipe you should try if, like me, you love first courses with eggplant.
The tuna and eggplant pasta is a quick and inexpensive first course that you can make either with good-quality canned (jar) tuna or fresh tuna. If you choose fresh tuna, I recommend cutting the fish into cubes and searing it for a few seconds in the pan before adding it to the other ingredients. This way you’ll create a truly original and flavorful seafood first course, perfect for a family or friends’ lunch and that will impress with very little effort.
To make the tuna and eggplant pasta in white you’ll need just a few ingredients besides the tuna: eggplants, Parmesan, a few basil leaves, pepper and oil, and you can use whichever pasta shape you prefer. I chose farfalle for the presentation, but macaroni, penne or spaghetti will work well too.
That’s all — just go to the kitchen and get started. Ready? Follow along, and if you want to stay updated on all my recipes you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here).

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Creamy and delicate tuna and eggplant pasta

Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Very inexpensive
Preparation time: 30 Minutes
Portions: 5-6
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

17 oz pasta
2 eggplants (medium)
6 oz tuna packed in oil (drained)
1 cup grated Parmesan (or Grana Padano)
to taste black pepper
to taste basil (5-6 large leaves)
to taste salt
to taste extra virgin olive oil
to taste neutral frying oil (peanut or sunflower oil for frying)

Tools

Pot
Frying pan
Slotted spoon
Colander

Tuna and Eggplant Pasta (white)

To make the tuna and eggplant pasta in white, peel the eggplants, cut them into bite-sized cubes and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, toss and let rest for 30 minutes — they will release their moisture. Peeling them will prevent them from releasing the dark color, but this is optional.
After resting, rinse them thoroughly under running water and drain.
Place the eggplants on a kitchen towel and pat them well to remove excess water. Heat a pan with a high-oleic seed oil (sunflower oil is good for frying) and fry the eggplants.
When they are nicely golden, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. If possible, fry in two or three batches so the eggplants fry better and stay less soggy.
Bring salted water to a boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, drain the tuna and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Place the tuna in a bowl together with the grated cheese, a little black pepper and a few tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Mix.
When the pasta is cooked but still al dente, drain it and combine it with the tuna and cheese. Add the torn basil and the fried eggplants and mix again.
Serve hot at the table, plate and serve immediately. Store any leftover pasta in the refrigerator (although it’s better not to have leftovers) and sauté it in a pan to reheat before eating.