Tortiglioni with caponata

The classic Sicilian sweet and sour dish of caponata can be served in so many ways and cooked well in advance of the chosen method of delectation, as it only gets better with time. So, with some left over, or rather extra caponata from yesterday's batch, tonight, it was served as a deliciously sweet and tangy sauce for our pasta. This was a much needed hearty dish for dinner, after a day in the sun building Mother in law Spread's green house for her.


What you will need
2 aubergines
1 onion
2 sticks celery
2 cloves of garlic
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 table spoons balsamic vinegar
1 tea spoon chilli flakes
1 table spoon tomato puree
50g sultanas
2 table spoons capers
50g green olives
1/2 tea spoon dried oregano
Tortiglioni pasta
Fresh parsley to serve


Begin by cubing the aubergine and thinly slicing the onion and celery sticks. Heat some oil in a pan and soften the onions, aubergine and celery with some salt for 5-10 minutes.


When the aubergine has cooked through, add the crushed garlic and the chopped tomatoes


stir through the balsamic vinegar, chilli flakes, tomato puree, sultanas, capers, olives and oregano. Reduce the stew for a further 10 minutes.


Meanwhile, cook enough tortiglioni for four. When cooked, drain and stir through the caponata.

Serve with either parmesan or some rounds of nutty goaty, goats cheese.