- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 aubergine
- An 80g pot of black olives
- A 400g tin of cherry tomatoes
- A 200g bag of penne
- A handful of flat leaf parsley, leaves only
- A 35g bag of flaked almonds
- 2 large handfuls of peppery salad mix
- 11/2 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- A couple of frying pans
- Large pan with a lid
- Bowl
- 1.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Trim the stem from the top of the aubergine. Dice it into ½ cm sized cubes.
- 2.
Warm 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion. Fry for about 5 mins till it’s soft and glossy, stirring now and then.
- 3.
Add the aubergine and garlic to the frying pan. Season. Fry for 8-10 mins over a medium heat till the aubergine has some colour. Stir often so it doesn’t stick and burn. Fill a pan with water and add a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to the boil.
- 4.
While the aubergine cooks, halve the olives. Add them to the frying pan with the tinned cherry tomatoes and half a can of water. Bring to the boil.
- 5.
Turn the heat down. Simmer for around 10 mins till the caponata has thickened. Stir every so often while it cooks.
- 6.
Add the penne to the pan of boiling water. Simmer for 8 mins till the pasta is cooked but not too soft – it should have a little bite. While the penne cooks, roughly chop the parsley leaves.
- 7.
Heat a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat. Toast the almonds for 2 mins till golden brown. Shake the pan regularly to stop the almonds catching. Tip into a bowl. Toss the salad with ½ tbsp oil and a little salt and pepper.
- 8.
Drain the pasta. Taste the caponata and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Tumble in the penne and toss together. Divide between two warm bowls. Scatter over the almonds and parsley. Serve with the salad.