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:
1. Onion, finely chopped, 1 large pc
2. Red pepper finely chopped, 1 large pc
and when softened add
3. Garlic, finely chopped, 1 medium clove
Mix well and deglaze with
4. Wine, 2 tbsps
Add
5. Concentrated tomato paste, 3 tbsp, and a pinch of sugar
and mix to coat everything. Then add
6. Tomatoes, grated, 3 ripe medium pcs
7. 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.
Off heat add
8. Olive fillets, 1/3 cup
9. Capers, 1/3 cup
10. Parsley (1/4 cup).
Return pot on high heat and add some of the reserved pasta water, the sauce and the spaghetti, and stir constantly for 2 minutes.
Top with toasted pine nuts and Parmesan.