Embark on a culinary journey to the heart of the Mediterranean with our delectable pasta recipes, where vibrant flavors and textures dance together in perfect harmony. Indulge in the symphony of tastes crafted by our Pasta with Eggplant, Capers, and Olives, a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. Discover the secrets of preparing this delightful dish, from selecting the perfect eggplant to mastering the art of balancing briny capers and succulent olives. Transport yourself to the sun-kissed shores of Italy with our authentic Pasta alla Norma, where silky smooth eggplant mingles with sweet tomatoes and creamy ricotta salata, creating a masterpiece that pays homage to Sicilian culinary traditions. For a lighter yet equally satisfying meal, our Pasta with Roasted Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes offers a burst of freshness, with roasted eggplant and juicy cherry tomatoes taking center stage. And for those who love a spicy kick, our Pasta with Eggplant and Spicy Tomato Sauce delivers an explosion of flavors, where the heat of chili peppers dances harmoniously with the smokiness of roasted eggplant.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
PASTA WITH EGGPLANT, CAPERS, AND OLIVES
Steps:
- Toss eggplant with salt in a colander set in a large bowl, then let drain, tossing occasionally, 1 hour.
- While eggplant drains, rinse capers in a sieve and transfer to a small bowl. Cover capers with water by 2 inches and soak 30 minutes. Drain, then repeat soaking. Drain and rinse capers, then squeeze dry and coarsely chop.
- Roast bell pepper on rack of a gas burner over moderately high heat, turning with tongs, until skin is blackened, about 5 minutes. (Or broil pepper on a broiler pan about 5 inches from heat, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes.) Transfer to a bowl, then cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let pepper steam 10 minutes.
- When cool enough to handle, peel pepper and discard seeds, stem, and ribs. Pat pepper dry and purée in a blender until smooth.
- Rinse eggplant and pat dry thoroughly. Heat vegetable oil in a 4-quart pot over high heat until it registers 375°F on thermometer. Fry one third of eggplant, stirring gently, until just golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining eggplant in 2 batches, returning oil to 375°F between batches.
- Pulse together olives, basil, mint, parsley, marjoram, and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Finely chop remaining garlic clove and cook in olive oil along with anchovy in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until anchovy dissolves and garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to moderate and stir in pepper purée, then cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in olive mixture, capers, and wine and cook, stirring, until wine is evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in eggplant (sauce will be very thick) and remove from heat. Keep warm, covered.
- Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain and stir into sauce. Season with salt.
- *Available at specialty foods shops and chefshop.com.
EGGPLANT WITH CAPERS AND OLIVES
From: "The Vegetarian Epicure" by Anna Thomas, first edition 1972. This book was a real find! I love eggplant accompanied by strong flavors. Feel free to add herbs or red pepper flakes to taste.
Provided by Engrossed
Categories European
Time 45m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- A large, nonstick skillet with a cover works best for this recipe.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add eggplant and cook until it begins to get soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil and saute onion and garlic until onion is golden.
- Add celery, tomato sauce, and a few tablespoons of water. Cover and let steam for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if necessary.
- Return eggplant to pan, add capers, and olives.
- Heat the vinegar with the sugar and add to eggplant mixture.
- Salt and pepper to taste, and simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes, being careful not to let it burn.
- Serve hot or or cold, with slices of lemon.
EGGPLANT CAPONATA PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND BASIL
This weeknight pasta is inspired by traditional caponata, a tangy, salty-sweet Italian dish made with sautéed eggplant, tomatoes, caramelized onions, capers, anchovies, olives and vinegar. Though caponata is often served as a side, salad or relish, this eggplant sauté forms the foundation of a hearty vegetarian pasta. For the best results, taste and season your eggplant mixture with salt and pepper as you cook little by little - or even recklessly. It should taste quite salty and tangy on its own, but will mellow when tossed with pasta, pasta water and creamy ricotta.
Provided by Alexa Weibel
Categories dinner, weekday, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the raisins, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and let cook about 2 minutes, then cover and set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high. Stir in half the eggplant to coat evenly in the oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. (Eggplant should brown and tenderize but still maintain its shape.) Heat another 1/4 cup oil, then add remaining eggplant; season and repeat.
- While the eggplant cooks, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. (You might not use all the pasta water.)
- Add another 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the shallot, pine nuts, capers, garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring frequently, until the shallot is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant, along with the sliced basil and vinegar.
- Strain the soaked raisins, discarding the soaking liquid, then add the raisins to the eggplant mixture and toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. The mixture should taste quite aggressively salty and tangy, but it will mellow when tossed with pasta and ricotta. (Eggplant mixture can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Add eggplant mixture, pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the pot. Toss to coat over medium heat until eggplant is warmed, adding extra pasta water if necessary. Divide among shallow bowls, top with ricotta and additional torn basil and serve immediately. Pass with additional olive oil for drizzling, if desired.
SAUTEED EGGPLANT WITH CAPERS AND ANCHOVIES
Provided by Pierre Franey
Categories easy, quick, side dish
Time 25m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Peel the eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Pour the olive oil in a highly heated large nonstick skillet and add the eggplant, red and green peppers and the onions. Cook and stir until tender. Do not overcook.
- Add the garlic, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, rosemary, capers and anchovies. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 109, UnsaturatedFat 6 grams, Carbohydrate 9 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 3 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 386 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams
PASTA WITH TOMATOES, CAPERS, OLIVES AND BREADCRUMBS
Bread crumbs, crisped in olive oil with garlic, make a flavorful addition to just about any pasta. Make your own bread crumbs if you've got bread that's drying out, and keep them in the freezer.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, weekday, main course
Time 30m
Yield Serves four
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Begin heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the sliced garlic over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan or skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic turns golden, about two minutes. Do not let it take on any more color than this. Remove the garlic slices with a slotted spoon and discard, then add the bread crumbs to the pan. Turn the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until the bread crumbs are crisp. Remove from the heat, and set aside.
- Return the pan to medium heat, and add the remaining olive oil, the red pepper flakes and the minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic smells fragrant, and add the tomatoes, capers and olives. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the spaghetti. Cook al dente, following the cooking recommendations on the package but checking about a minute before the suggested time. Drain, and toss with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and parsley on top, toss again briefly and serve, passing the Parmesan at the table.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 498, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 79 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 14 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 535 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams
EGGPLANT WITH CAPERS AND OLIVES RECIPE
Enjoy the harvest with this easy, Mediterranean inspired, eggplant and pasta recipe.
Provided by Renee Pottle
Categories Entree
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Trim top and bottom from eggplant.
- Cut into cubes and set in a colander. Toss cubes with a little salt and let drain for 15 minutes.
- Rinse well and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Slice the white and light green parts of the leek.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute leek until soft, 3-4 minutes.
- Add rinsed eggplant to skillet. Saute until soft, 5-15 minutes.
- Add olives, capers, nuts and red pepper flakes. Heat through.
- Toss with drained pasta, adding small amounts of additional olive oil if desired.
- Top each serving with grated cheese.
Tips:
- To choose the best eggplant, look for one that is firm and has a deep purple color. Avoid eggplants that are soft or have blemishes.
- When preparing the eggplant, cut it into evenly sized pieces so that they cook evenly. You can either slice the eggplant into rounds or cubes.
- To prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil, salt it and let it rest for 30 minutes before cooking. This will help to draw out the moisture from the eggplant.
- When cooking the eggplant, be sure to use a non-stick skillet or pan. This will help to prevent the eggplant from sticking and burning.
- Cook the eggplant over medium heat until it is tender and slightly browned. Be sure to stir the eggplant frequently so that it cooks evenly.
- Once the eggplant is cooked, add the capers, olives, and tomatoes. Stir to combine and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve the pasta with the eggplant mixture over top. You can also garnish the pasta with grated Parmesan cheese or chopped fresh basil.
Conclusion:
This pasta dish is a delicious and easy-to-make meal that is perfect for a weeknight dinner. The combination of eggplant, capers, and olives creates a flavorful and savory sauce that pairs perfectly with pasta. This dish is also a great way to get your daily dose of vegetables.
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