Aubergine roasted until sweet and collapsing, stirred through tomato sauce and finished with cold spoonfuls of lemony ricotta.
Prep
15 mins
Cook
35 mins
Servings
4
Per serving
£1.53
Difficulty
easy
Roasting the aubergine rather than frying it means far less oil and a deeper, almost smoky flavour. The ricotta goes on at the very end, still cold, so it melts slowly into the hot pasta rather than disappearing into the sauce.
Heat the oven to 200C fan. Toss the aubergine chunks with 3 tablespoons of the oil and half a teaspoon of salt, spread over a large tray in a single layer, and roast for 30 minutes, turning once, until deeply browned and soft in the middle.
Crowding the tray steams the aubergine. Use two trays rather than piling it up.
With about 15 minutes to go, warm the remaining oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and oregano and cook for a minute, then pour in the tomatoes and half a tin of water. Simmer for 12 minutes and season.
Cook the penne in salted boiling water for one minute less than the packet time. Reserve a mugful of water and drain.
Stir the roasted aubergine into the tomato sauce along with the chilli flakes if using, then fold in the pasta with enough cooking water to loosen.
Beat the ricotta with the lemon zest, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper.
Serve the pasta with spoonfuls of the lemony ricotta dropped on top and plenty of torn basil.