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Spaghetti With Eggplant Caponata

5.0

(3)

Spaghetti on white and blue plate
Photograph by Vanessa Granda, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua

Think of caponata as the Sicilian version of ratatouille. With a tumble of eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, and onions, caponata is a celebration of late-summer produce, brought to life with an invigorating agrodolce—a sweet-sour condiment of vinegar, sugar, and sometimes fruit. Here, the oven provides a hands-off route to the same destination, with tender, concentrated vegetables in a puddle of butter and olive oil. A judicious use of pasta water and energetic stirring is essential for the harmonious wedding of vegetables, honey-drunken raisins, and spaghetti. Make a double batch of the caponata and the raisin agrodolce, and save half to serve alongside grilled crusty bread, roasted fish or lamb, or tucked into a grilled cheese sandwich.

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

2 large red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, sliced
1 large red onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
1 lb. Japanese or Italian eggplants (about 3 medium), cut into 2" pieces
1 lb. mixed red tomatoes (such as cherry, plum, or beefsteak), cut into 2" pieces if large
1 cup pitted green olives, halved
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
⅓ cup golden raisins
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
12 oz. spaghetti
4 oz. ricotta salata (salted dry ricotta), shaved
½ cup finely chopped parsley

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 350°. Arrange 2 large red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, sliced, 1 large red onion, sliced, 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, 2 bay leaves, 1 lb. Japanese or Italian eggplants (about 3 medium), cut into 2" pieces, 1 lb. mixed red tomatoes (such as cherry, plum, or beefsteak), cut into  2" pieces if large, and 1 cup pitted green olives, halved, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil over, season with kosher salt, and toss to coat. Scatter 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces on top and roast, stirring halfway through, until tender, 45–60 minutes.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, simmer ⅓ cup golden raisins, 3 Tbsp. honey, and 3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar in a small skillet until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove agrodolce from heat.

    Step 3

    Cook 12 oz. spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.

    Step 4

    Return spaghetti to pot; add roasted vegetables (along with any liquid on baking sheet) and agrodolce. Cook, stirring vigorously and adding reserved pasta cooking liquid if needed, until pasta is coated and glossy, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Add 4 oz. ricotta salata (salted dry ricotta), shaved, and ½ cup finely chopped parsley and stir gently to incorporate. Divide pasta among shallow bowls.

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