Serve with:
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (135 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) red or white wine vinegar, divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ pounds (680 grams) globe, Italian, or Japanese eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large red onion, sliced into ½-inch-thick wedges
- 1½ pounds (680 grams) cherry tomatoes, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ cup (90 grams) pitted green olives, preferably Castelvetrano, halved
- 3 tablespoons (30 grams) capers in brine, drained and patted dry
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup (45 grams) pine nuts, toasted in the oven or a dry pan
- Fresh basil leaves, for serving
- 4 ounces (115 grams) burrata or cubed fresh mozzarella, for serving
Directions
- Heat the oven to 325°F/165°C.
- Whisk together ½ cup of the oil, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, the sugar, salt, and pepper to taste in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture onto a sheet pan.
- Add the eggplant, onion, and two thirds of the tomatoes to the pan. Stir to coat in the olive oil and vinegar mixture. Roast the vegetables until soft and jammy, about 1 hour and 45 minutes, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes.
- While the vegetables roast, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, olives, and capers and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic turns golden at the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the red pepper flakes.
- When the vegetables are done, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and adjust seasoning to taste. Fold in the garlic/olive/caper mixture.
- Halve the remaining tomatoes and add them to a medium bowl. Toss with a sprinkle of salt and set aside.
- Cook your pasta of choice to your liking. Reserve 1 cup (240 ml) pasta cooking water, then drain (but don’t rinse!) the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot and scrape in the roasted vegetables. Loosen the sauce with some of the reserved pasta water and season to taste. Drain off the liquid from the salted tomatoes and add them to the pasta with half of the pine nuts.
- Serve the pasta at room temperature, either on a platter or in bowls, topped with the remaining pine nuts, the basil, and burrata. Cut into the cheese and finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.