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Overhead shot of a bowl of eggplant caponata pasta

Eggplant Caponata Pasta with Smoked Mozzarella

This Eggplant Caponata Pasta with Smoked Mozzarella is everything you want in a savory dish - perfectly al dente mezzi rigatoni, vegetables cooked down to a sweet, jam-like consistency, toasted pine nuts for texture & nuttiness, plenty of parm, and smoked mozzarella for added richness and depth of flavor. It's addictingly good, not-your-average pasta, and guaranteed to get you out of any dinner rut!

Course Dinner, Main, Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean, Sicilian
Keyword aubergine recipes, baked sicilian eggplant recipes, eggplant caponata, eggplant caponata over pasta, eggplant caponata pasta, eggplant caponata recipe, eggplant caponata with pine nuts, eggplant recipes, sicilian recipes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

For the caponata

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 of a large sweet onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 medium eggplant, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 2 ribs celery, finely diced
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • salt and pepper

For the pasta

  • 1 pound mezzi rigatoni (or your favorite short-cut pasta)
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano, divided
  • 8 ounces fresh smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/2'' pieces
  • extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
  • finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for serving

Instructions

  1. Begin by making the caponata. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, eggplant, bell pepper, celery, and a big pinch or two of salt, and sauté for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, reducing the heat as needed, until the vegetables have begun to cook down and caramelize. Add the tomatoes, capers, vinegar, sugar, and another big pinch or two of salt, and sauté for another 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have broken down and become jammy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  2. While the caponata is cooking, toast the pine nuts. Add the pine nuts to a dry skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Watch them very carefully, shaking the pan frequently, until they're golden brown and fragrant. Be careful, they can burn in an instant! Remove from the pan immediately into a small bowl. Once the caponata is finished cooking, add the toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley and stir to combine. Season to taste once more with salt and pepper.

  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Season generously with salt. Cook the pasta to just shy of al dente, as it will continue to cook when tossed with the caponata, and under the broiler as well.

  4. Preheat your broiler to high. Add the cooked pasta to the caponata along with half of the parmigiano reggiano, and all of the smoked mozzarella. Stir to combine. Transfer pasta to an oven-safe skillet (if it's not in one already), or a baking dish. Top with remaining parm. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top. Broil for 4-5 minutes or until cheese is melty and golden, and pasta is warmed through.

  5. To serve, portion into bowls, drizzle with a little olive oil, top with extra parmigiano, and chopped parsley.