Pasta alla Siciliana

©NotAnotherFoodie

Roasted eggplant, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, ricotta, basil and olives all come together to make a seriously delicious and healthy pasta Sicilian style!

What you will need:

©NotAnotherFoodie

• 3 baby eggplants
• 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes
• 4 mushrooms
• bunch of basil
• 300g ricotta cheese
• 1 small container of kalamata olives
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 cans of diced tomatoes
• pasta of choice (I like rigatoni or penne for this dish)

Heat the oven to 200ºC and boil water for the pasta. Halve the eggplants lengthways, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and then roast with the unpeeled garlic cloves for 20 minutes or until soft.

©NotAnotherFoodie

Heat a dash of olive oil in a deep pan, cut the mushrooms into chunks and then add to the pan along with the cherry tomatoes. Cook on medium heat until they brown, add the diced tomatoes and bring the sauce up to a simmer. Cook the pasta. Chop the roasted eggplant, scoop out the garlic and combine with the sauce.

©NotAnotherFoodie

©NotAnotherFoodie

©NotAnotherFoodie

Add the olives and chopped or torn basil (leave enough to garnish).

©NotAnotherFoodie

Drain the pasta and serve. Top with a generous dollop of ricotta and a sprinkle of basil.

©NotAnotherFoodie

Mushroom Pasta

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Mushrooms are one of those foods that divide people - you either love them or hate them. I'm definitely on team fungi and this mushroom pasta sauce is always on my winter rotation.

What you will need:

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• 6 large cup/button mushrooms (or 12-16 small ones depending on size)
• 1/2 can mushroom soup concentrate ( I use Campbell's)
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1/4 cup red wine (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves
• parsley
• grated parmesan
• pasta of choice

Put the water on for the pasta and heat some olive oil in a large pan. Slice the mushrooms reasonably finely but don't fuss too much. Cook the mushrooms on low-med until soft and dark.

©NotAnotherFoodie

©NotAnotherFoodie

Crush the garlic and add, stirring for 30 seconds. Cook the pasta. Add the red wine and beef stock, turn up the heat and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. Then gradually add the 1/2 can of mushroom soup concentrate, stirring as you go (this will thicken the sauce).

©NotAnotherFoodie

©NotAnotherFoodie

Drain the pasta, serve and garnish with parmesan and parsley.

©NotAnotherFoodie