Pasta Caponata

Hi, this recipe is from BOSH! Simple Recipes, Amazing Food, All Plants cookbook, page 64, by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby.

The dish 'Caponata' is from Sicily in Italy, and it's main ingredient is aubergine. Traditionally, Caponata is a tomato based sauce with aubergine and celery and different areas will all take their own spin on it adding 'extras' such as peppers, pine nuts or raisins.

This particular recipe was delicious; I particularly enjoyed the sauce. It was full of lots of different ingredients, meaning it had different textures and flavours throughout. My Dad, who is not normally keen on aubergine, even enjoyed the sauce with aubergine as its main ingredient. Although, I am yet to convince my Mum and sister that aubergine's nice. 

The sauce can be served pre-stirred through the pasta (it's what the book suggests) but as I knew not everyone in my family liked aubergine, I served it on the side so people could try it and, if they didn't like parts of it, they could pick them out and just eat the rest. If you are not vegan, you may want to serve with some cheese on top for more of a salty flavour. However, this is not necessary as you get more salt from the brine in the capers in this dish. 

Also, if you are cooking for less than 4-6 people, cook only the amount of pasta you require and stir through only so much sauce as you need. This means you can then either freeze, or keep leftovers in the fridge, for another pasta caponata or jacket potato topping or fajita filling (stir through some beans or chicken).

Enjoy!

Hazel :)

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Dietary Info:

-Vegan

-Vegetarian

-Dairy-Free

-Contains Gluten

{Use a gluten-free pasta, such as ones made from pulses. These also give you extra protein.}

-Contains Nuts

{Top with seeds if you can, if not use croutons for a crunch or leave out entirely.}

-Main Meal

Serves: 4-6

Takes: 45mins-1hr

Ingredients:

-2 aubergines (about 500g)

-300g cherry tomatoes

-3tbsp olive oil {I used extra virgin olive oil.}

-1+1/2tsp chilli flakes {I used half of a fresh red chilli, finely chopped. Only half as we had found these ones particularly hot in previous uses.}

-1 red onion

-3 garlic cloves 

-1 celery stick

-2tbsp tomato purée

-1x400g tin chopped tomatoes

-1tsp dried oregano {We didn't have any oregano in, so I used dried rosemary instead.}

-2 sprigs fresh thyme

-30g small capers

-40g raisins

-60g pitted Kalamata olives {We already had some just plain green pitted olives, so I used those instead.}

-500g penne pasta {I used fusilli, but any pasta works well here.}

-10g dark chocolate

-20g fresh parsley {I had no fresh parsley, but dried mixed herbs works well too.}

-1tbsp balsamic vinegar

-40g pine nuts {I didn't top with nuts.}

-salt and black pepper

Method:

1: Preheat an oven to 180℃/160℃ fan/350℉/Gas 4. Line a baking tray {with baking paper}. {Make sure you have a:} Large frying pan with lid on a medium heat {I would advise against putting on the heat now as it is a waste of power}. Large saucepan. Small frying pan.

2: Trim the aubergines and chop the flesh into 2cm cubes. Lay on the lined baking tray {I used a roasting tin instead, as the lipped edges catch the juice.} along with the cherry tomatoes and drizzle over 1tbsp of the olive oil. Sprinkle with a good layer of salt, pepper and the chilli flakes, put the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 30mins.

3: Meanwhile, pour the remaining 2tbsp oil into the large frying pan. {I used a wok. This frying pan will need to be deep enough to make a sauce in it.} Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic and add to the pan. Trim the leaves and root from the celery, then finely chop and add to the pan. {along with salt and pepper.} Cook the onions, garlic and celery for 10-15mins, {over a low heat.} stirring regularly, until they are soft and translucent.

4: Add the tomato purée to the pan and stir. Add the chopped tomatoes {plus a little water swilled around in the tin (about 1/2 tin-full)}, oregano, thyme, capers, raisins and olives, plus a little salt and pepper to taste, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and let everything cook for 5mins. Remove the roasted aubergines and tomatoes from the oven and add them to the pan, giving everything a stir. Put the lid on and simmer for 12-15mins, stirring every 5mins to stop it burning.

5: Boil a kettle and fill the large saucepan with the boiling water and a pinch of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, following the instructions on the packet. Strain away the water and tip the cooked pasta back into the pasta pan.

6: Meanwhile, chop or grate the dark chocolate and sprinkle it into the caponata sauce. Chop the stalks from the parsley and save for another recipe, then chop the leaves and add 3/4 to the pan along with the balsamic vinegar. Simmer for a further 3-5mins with the lid off. Taste and season if necessary. Pour the sauce over the pasta and fold it in, making sure everything is well covered.

7: Put the small frying pan on a medium-high heat and toast the pine nuts in the dry pan until golden. Sprinkle over the pasta along with the reserved parsley leaves before serving.

While you're here...

I have a Pinterest for all my recipes, where you can save them to boards for the future and categorise them into different types of recipe e.g Sunday Dinners, picnic ideas etc. My account is @hazellikestocook, or find the link below. Also, I have a whole blog post explaining this in more detail here and https://hazelscookingandbakingblog.blogspot.com/2021/02/pinterest.html. 

https://pin.it/5xDvARk - my profile

This recipe:

https://pin.it/3mKc7wq