Roasted Aubergine and Tomato Pasta with Basil

Ingredients

• 2 medium aubergines (eggplants), about 700 g, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, divided, plus salt for pasta water if wanted
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 150 ml water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes, optional
• 350 g dried rigatoni
• 20 g fresh basil, leaves torn
• Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Roast the aubergine. Heat oven to 220°C/200°C fan/425°F. Toss aubergine with 2 tablespoons oil and half the measured salt. Spread across a large tray or two smaller trays. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until browned and soft all the way through rather than spongy.
2. Soften the onion. Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for 6–8 minutes until softened. Add garlic, tomato purée and optional chilli flakes and stir for 1 minute. Lower the heat if the garlic starts to colour.
3. Simmer the tomatoes. Add canned tomatoes, 150 ml water, oregano and the remaining measured salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken but remain easy to stir; add a splash of water if it catches.
4. Cook the pasta. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook rigatoni according to its packet until just tender. Before draining, carefully reserve a mug of the starchy water. Avoid rinsing the pasta, which removes the starch that helps the sauce cling.
5. Combine without crushing. Fold the roasted aubergine into the tomato sauce. Add drained pasta and a little reserved water. Toss over low heat for 1–2 minutes, adding more water by the tablespoon until the sauce coats the tubes. Fold gently so some aubergine cubes remain intact.
6. Finish with basil. Turn off the heat and add most of the basil. Taste and adjust pepper or salt if needed, then divide into bowls and scatter over the remaining basil. Serve promptly, while the sauce is loose enough to move around the pasta rather than sitting in a dry mound.

Tips and troubleshooting

Aubergine soaks up oil quickly; toss thoroughly before deciding to add more. Pale, rubbery cubes need longer roasting or more space. If your canned tomatoes taste sharp, give the sauce another few minutes to simmer before seasoning rather than immediately adding sugar.

Substitutions

Use penne or fusilli with similar packet cooking times. Courgette can replace part of the aubergine, though it releases more water and roasts faster. Add a drained can of white beans to the sauce for a larger meal. Cheese is optional; choose vegetarian-labelled cheese if used.

Allergen notes

Contains wheat unless a suitable gluten-free pasta is used. No dairy, egg or nuts are added in this version. Check pasta labels, especially fresh pasta, which may contain egg.

Storage and reheating

Cool leftovers promptly in a shallow container and refrigerate. Use within 48 hours. Reheat until hot throughout with a little water to loosen the sauce. Pasta softens as it sits; keep sauce and pasta separate if preparing components ahead.

Food safety guidance: FoodSafety.gov cooking temperatures and the Food Standards Agency home food fact checker. Follow local food-safety advice and ingredient use-by dates.