Simple Roasted Eggplant Pasta

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan forced). Slice the eggplant into 3cm thick rounds, then cut into wedge shapes.

Step 2
Put eggplant wedges onto a large baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. The eggplant can be quite snug on the tray, but should be in one layer. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and soft. You may need to toss or turn the eggplant pieces over half way through baking to allow them to cook evenly. When cooked, remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3
Meanwhile, thinly slice the garlic and pick the basil leaves from the stems. Hold onto the stems for the sauce!

Step 4
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil and sauté the sliced garlic and the basil stems for about 1-2 minutes on low heat until fragrant. Remove the basil stems.

Step 5
Add the tinned tomato, salt and pepper. Half fill the tomato tin with water, add to the pan and stir well.

Step 6
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly reduced.

Step 7
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon salt and the rigatoni.

Step 8
Meanwhile, add the roasted eggplant to the sauce and mix through. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until some of the eggplant has broken down and mixes in with the sauce. Add most of the basil leaves, reserving some to garnish, and mix through. Continue to simmer on low as the pasta cooks.

Step 9
Once the pasta is cooked, set aside some pasta water, about 1/2 a cup, then drain the pasta. Stir the rigatoni through the sauce, adding a generous splash of the pasta water to loosen the sauce. You may not need the full 1/2 cup of pasta water, just add as much as you need to bring the pasta and sauce together.

Step 10
Serve in bowls topped with extra basil leaves and some chilli flakes, as an optional.