Whole wheat penne with aubergine and pine nuts

Print Recipe

No ratings yet

Whole wheat penne with aubergine and pine nuts

A taste of the Mediterranean with nutritious whole wheat pasta

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean

Keyword: pasta, pasta recipe, penne, vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 499kcal

Author: Jacqui

Ingredients

400 g whole wheat penne rigate
400 g aubergine cut into small cubes
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 tablespoon concentrated tomato paste
10-12 datterini or cherry tomatoes
1 red chilli pepper peperoncino finely chopped
20 pitted black olives
60 g grated parmesan or pecorino
8-10 caper flowers stems removed
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Put the aubergine cubes in lightly salted water for 30 minutes, then drain, squeeze out the water and pat dry on kitchen paper.
Fry them in olive oil with the garlic until brown. Aubergine tends to absorb the oil so you may need to add more if they start to stick.
Add the cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, pine nuts, caper flowers, chilli pepper and olives and continue to cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes. The longer you cook the sauce, the more concentrated the flavours will be. Add a little water if the mixture is too dry.
Add salt and pepper to taste
While the sauce is cooking, put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once it starts to boil and bring to the boil again. Cook the pasta in the boiling salted water until al dente according to the instructions on the packet, then drain and mix well with the sauce.
Serve with the grated parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Notes

This recipe could also be served as a cold pasta salad in summer or baked with the addition of some mozzarella.
If you can't find whole wheat penne any short pasta can be used such as fusilli or maccheroni.

Adapted from Complete Italian Food Antonio Carluccio

Nutrition