Creamy aubergine, tomato and chilli pasta
Lots of people seem averse to aubergines. I always think it must be because they haven’t had them when they’re cooked nicely. When you cook them down in plenty of olive oil, as in this aubergine pasta recipe, they take on a rich silkiness that absorbs all the flavours you put with it.
Just a few chilli flakes add a nuance to this, and a hint of heat in the mouth; adding a splash of double cream offsets it beautifully.
Despite penne being shown, this would be better with a more delicate pasta like casarecce or even spaghetti or linguine.
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- sea salt
- about 14-20 baby tomatoes, halved
- 2 shiny firm aubergines, topped and tailed, quartered and thinly sliced (I used a food processor’s slicing attachment)
- plenty of extra virgin olive oil
- a scant half teaspoon of chilli flakes
- 2 teaspoons of dried mixed herbs
- half a teaspoon of sugar
- 300ml of passata
- 4 tbsps of tomato puree
- a glug of double cream – probably about 50ml, or use creme fraiche, about 3 dessert spoons
- any pasta shape. Roughly 100g for men and 60-70g for women, you can use 400g for this recipe to be on the safe side. In fact the sauce will go even further if you are cooking for more people.
- Grated Parmesan cheese to serve
Nuush clients: Please apply the portion sizes stated in your account and divide the recipe so that you make only as much you need.
Instructions
Put a large saucepan of water on to boil, for the pasta.
Very liberally cover the base of a large heavy double handed frying pan with olive oil; the aubergines will soak it up so you need plenty. Now add the aubergines and some salt and give it a stir before putting the lid on and leaving them to soften for 6-7 minutes – stir periodically.
Mean time in another pan or in an air fryer, cook the onion, garlic and tomatoes in some olive oil until they are softened. Then tip them in with the squidgy aubergine, and stir.
Tip your pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente.
Back to the aubergine pan. Add the mixed herbs, sugar and chilli flakes, then the passata and tomato puree. Give it all a good stir and put the lid back on for five mins while it simmers.
Now go in with the cream and have a taste to see if the seasoning needs adjusting. Now leave the lid off an gently sinmer until the pasta is ready.
Tip the pasta in with the aubergine sauce and stir until it’s thoroughly coated.
Serve with a scattering of fresh basil and plenty of grated Parmesan cheese
Nutrition Info
Aubergines
The beautiful purple skin of the aubergine is where so many of its phytonutrients lie. They’re in the skin to give the plant protection from the elements and pests and when you eat them they help to do the same for you.
Aubergines are rich in anthocyanin and a phytonutrient called Nasunin, which is a potent antioxidant to help protect cell membranes from damage.
Find your new natural
Now repeat after me:
Au-ber-gine
All-bee-jean
Portion Guidelines
Instead of living with the bore of weighing food, counting points or calories and tapping everything you eat into a phone you can use nature’s custom-designed tool – your hands!
