Penne Sicilian

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!