Aubergine Chilli Bacon Pasta Recipes

PASTA ALLA NORMA (EGGPLANT PASTA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan). Line a tray with baking / parchment paper.
• Toss eggplant with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on the tray and roast for 20 minutes.
• Flip, then roast for a further 5 minutes. Cool on tray (this helps the eggplant hold its shape when tossing).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Start cooking the pasta a couple of minutes after you start making the sauce (next section), until al dente or to your liking.
• Heat oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 20 seconds until golden, then add onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent and cooked through.
• Increase heat to medium-high and add wine, if using. Let it simmer, scraping the base of the pan to deglaze, until the wine mostly evaporates.
• Add tomato passata. Now pour the water into the passata bottle, screw on the lid, shake, and pour that in too (waste nothing!)
• Add dried herbs, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and simmer 5 minutes.
• Stir in eggplant, then add cooked and drained pasta. GENTLY toss until pasta is coated in the sauce (so the eggplant doesn't turn into complete mush!).
• Serve immediately, garnished with a good pinch of fresh basil and parmesan.

AUBERGINE PENNE ARRABBIATA

Steps:

• To make a quick chilli oil, halve and deseed the chillies. Fill a clean heatproof jar with olive oil, then pour it into a non-stick frying pan on a medium-low heat and add the chillies to confit.
• Meanwhile, put a pan of boiling salted water on for the pasta. Halve the aubergines lengthways and blanch in the water, covered, for 5 minutes, then lift out, leaving the water on the boil.
• Carefully scoop the soft chillies into the jar, then spoon in the oil, leaving 2 tablespoons in the pan (keep the jar of chilli oil to add a kick to future meals).
• Chop the aubergine into 3cm chunks, add to the pan with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then turn the heat up to high, stirring regularly.
• Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions while you peel and finely slice the garlic, then fry with the aubergine for 2 minutes.
• Pour in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, and half a tin's worth of water.
• Add as many of the chillies as you dare to the sauce and simmer until the pasta is ready, then taste and season to perfection.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of cooking water, then toss the pasta through the sauce, loosening with a little reserved cooking water, if needed. Dish up.

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.

SPICY EGGPLANT AND PASTA WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook until browned on the edges, about 5 minutes. Add eggplant and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; cook until eggplant is slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
• Pour marinara sauce, tomatoes, and wine into the skillet. Add red pepper flakes, black pepper, garlic salt, sugar, and white pepper. Stir and cover. Let sauce simmer until flavors combine, about 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain; mix with the sauce.

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 & CHILLI TAGLIOLINI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the aubergine for 5 mins until starting to brown and soften.
• Add the onion, garlic, chilli and oregano, and cook for just a few mins. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and about 200ml water, then reduce heat and simmer gently for about 20 mins, until the tomatoes are reduced and really softened, and the sauce is thickened.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the tagliolini following pack instructions. Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Add the sauce and toss well into the pasta with the basil. Serve with the grated pecorino.

BACON AND ONION PASTA

Steps:

• Take the bacon out of its packaging with the slices still stuck together and place on a cutting board. Cut the bacon, still stacked, crosswise into ½-inch slices to create little bacon pieces, also known as lardons. Add to a large rimmed sheet pan. Halve and thinly slice the onions. Add to the sheet pan as well. Drizzle the olive oil over the bacon and onions, season with salt and pepper, and toss until evenly coated.
• Place the sheet pan in a cold oven and then heat the oven to 450 degrees. Roast until the bacon has rendered much of its fat but is still pink and the onions are slightly charred in spots but not too dark, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Smash the garlic cloves with the side of your knife and thinly slice them. When the bacon and onions have had their 20 to 25 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven and stir in the garlic, red-pepper flakes, herbes de Provence and vermouth. Place the pan back in the oven and continue cooking until the vermouth is almost evaporated, and the bacon and onions look jammy and caramelized but not burnt, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Cook the pasta according to package instructions. (Don't overcook it, as angel hair can go from bouncy to soggy in seconds). Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
• Carefully transfer everything from the pan to the pot with the cooked pasta. Add the parsley and Parmesan to the pasta, and toss until evenly combined, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid if the sauce needs thinning out. Taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed, and serve immediately.

BURNT AUBERGINE VEGGIE CHILLI

Steps:

• If you have a gas hob, put the aubergine directly onto a lit ring to char completely, turning occasionally with kitchen tongs, until burnt all over. Alternatively, use a barbecue or heat the grill to its highest setting and cook, turning occasionally, until completely blackened (the grill won't give you the same smoky flavour). Set aside to cool on a plate, then peel off the charred skin and remove the stem. Roughly chop the flesh and set aside.
• In a large pan, heat the oil, add the onion and carrots with a pinch of salt, and fry over a low-medium heat for 15-20 mins until the carrots have softened.
• Add the aubergine, both types of lentils, the kidney beans with the liquid from the can, soy sauce, tomatoes, chocolate, chilli powder, oregano and the spices. Stir to combine, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to very low. Cover with a lid and cook for 1½ hrs, checking and stirring every 15-20 mins to prevent it from burning.
• Remove the lid and let the mixture simmer over a low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 mins until you get a thick sauce. Stir in the lime juice and taste for seasoning - add more salt if needed. Serve hot over rice with whichever accompaniments you want!