This pasta is a high fiber, filling, and delicious twist on eggplant caponata. It features three types of tomato for complexity of flavor, smoky seared eggplant, and briny olives. It’s the perfect veggie-packed Sunday dinner pasta and a favorite for eggplant lovers!
Serves 6-8
1 eggplant
2-4 TB olive oil
12oz multicolor grape tomatoes (Such as Wild Wonders)
2 TB olive oil
4 TB minced green olives (about 1/2 cup of whole olives)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB Amore Sundried Tomato Paste (regular paste will also work but this flavor is more developed)
28oz tomato puree (Recommend 2-13.8oz Pomi strained tomato)
16oz whole wheat farfallle pasta (Recommend Delallo brand) or substitute gluten free pasta of your choice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt – or to taste
1/4 tsp pepper – or to taste
Crushed red pepper, to taste
Fresh herbs for garnish (basil, scallion)
*Chef’s Tip: A garlic grinder gadget can be used to mince the garlic and olives in half of the time!
- In a 6qt pot, fill with 5qt water, salt the water to liking, and bring to a boil.
- While pasta water boils, cut off the stem of the eggplant and slice into 1/4” planks lengthwise. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Heat a large saute pan with 2TB olive oil and sear the planks of eggplant in batches on both sides until golden and tender about 2 min each side. Add more olive oil as needed to prevent eggplant from sticking to pan.
- Chop eggplant into bite size pieces, set aside in a medium bowl.
- In the same large saute pan, blister the cherry tomatoes, about 5-7 minutes on medium high heat. Make sure 2TB of olive oil is in the pan – residual from the eggplant is ok. Set aside in a small bowl.
- Drizzle olive oil and add the minced garlic, saute 1-2 min or until the garlic just starts to brown and become fragrant. Add sundried tomato paste, oregano, basil, and minced olives and saute 1 min.
- Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp cracked pepper or to your liking. Add the tomato puree, pan-roasted cherry tomatoes, and simmer on medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the cherry tomatoes soften into the sauce. You can crush them with a wooden spoon if it is your preference, I like to leave some whole for texture and color.
- Add in the eggplant and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and leave alone.
- Cook pasta in the pot of boiling water according to package directions for al dente – about 10-11min. Strain pasta into a colander. Do NOT rinse it! In the large pasta pot, return the pasta and pour the hot eggplant caponata sauce over it, stirring to combine.Optional: Top with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan and your favorite herbs. Enjoy!
