Caponata is a Sicilian dish featuring eggplants and tomatoes among other yummy things, and this is a pasta recipe inspired from it.
I usually cook 100 gr of spaghetti per person. The quantities I give here are for a 500gr packet. To cook the spaghetti properly use a large pot and a lot of salted boiling water. Cook al dente (usually around 8 minutes, but check), and refresh under cold running water. Keep some of the boiling water after cooking to use in the sauce.
For the sauce, in a pan with a little oil sauté:
Onion, finely chopped, 1 large pc
Red pepper finely chopped, 1 large pc
and when softened add:
Garlic, finely chopped, 1 medium clove
Stir well and deglaze with:
Wine, 2 tbsps
Add:
Concentrated tomato paste, 3 tbsp, and a pinch of sugar
and mix to coat everything. Then add:
Tomatoes, grated, 3 medium pcs
Eggplant, cut in strips of about 2 cm thick, 2 pcs
and some water if needed. Cook for a few minutes until the eggplants are soft and the sauce reduced. Then add:
Olive fillets, 1/3 cup
Capers, 1/3 cup
the reserved pasta water and the spaghetti, and stir constantly for a few seconds, to coat the spaghetti with the sauce.
Top with:
Parsley, finely cut
Pine nuts, toasted
Parmesan, grated