Rigatoni with aubergine and tomato sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • ½ a bunch of fresh basil
  • 2 aubergines
  • 4-6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 x 400 g tin of quality chopped tomatoes
  • 500 g dried rigatoni
  • 80 g ricotta cheese

Method

  1. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Pick the basil leaves and finely chop the stalks. Trim and cut the aubergine into 2cm slices.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and sweat the onion, garlic and basil stalks for 7 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, season well and bring to a steady simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, fry the aubergine in the remaining oil until golden, then stir into the tomato sauce with most of the basil leaves.
  5. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain, then stir through the sauce.
  6. Divide between plates and crumble over some ricotta and scatter over the reserved basil leaves before serving.

Serves 4