Penne Sicilian is a spicy pasta made with eggplant. It’s one of my fave pastas, that I get at my favorite Lebanese restaurant (I know, who gets pasta at a Lebanese place, but omg trust me, its SOOO good and simple to make). Dinner will be ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish, it’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Even if you are not an eggplant fan, trust me you will like this. Hope you guys enjoy this easy dish!
Stay happy, stay hungry!
Tips:
- Omit Parmesan cheese to make this dish vegan.
- You can use canned crushed tomatoes instead of pasta sauce, if you do this add a little bit of sugar to balance the flavors and 1 extra tbsp of red crushed pepper.
- You can use any other vegetables you like as well.
- You can use any other pasta sauce you have on hand.
- Make sure to heavily salt your pasta water, it is the only chance your pasta gets to be seasoned.
- I used penne pasta but you can use any shapes you have on hand.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups penne, cooked according to packed directions
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 7-8 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 cup eggplant, diced
- 1 tbsp red crushed pepper
- 2 Thai chili peppers or 1 jalapeno, chopped
- 3 cups pasta sauce (I used Arrabiatta from Trader joe’s)
- 1 tbsp capers, chopped (optional but recommended)
- 1 tbsp Harrisa paste (optional, I use the one from Trader Joe’s)
- Chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp of dried parsley
- ¼ cup of pasta water
- Parmesan cheese
- Banana peppers (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Heat oil in a pan, once hot add onions. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add garlic, Thai chilies, and red crushed pepper. Cook for about a minute.
- Add eggplant and cook until they are soft for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the harissa paste (if using). Followed by sauce, capers , banana peppers, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta, along with the pasta water. Mix until everything is well incorporated, cook for about 1-2 minutes. Turn off the stove and add parmesan cheese & parsley.
- Serve hot!
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