• Cooking Tips
  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclosure/Privacy
  • Recipe Index

Sign Up for My Newsletter and free EBook ✉️
  • Home
  • About Me – Rosemary Molloy
    • Contact
    • Disclosure/Privacy
  • Recipes
  • Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Chocolate
    • Eggs
    • Fish & Seafood
    • fruit
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Potatoes
    • Vegetables
  • Course
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Pasta
    • Casseroles & Bakes
    • Pizza / Bread
    • Salads
    • Soups & Stews
  • Desserts
    • Cookies & Bars
    • Donuts & Pastries
    • Frostings & Glazes
    • Homemade Candy
    • Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts
    • Muffins & Sweet Breads
    • No-Bake Desserts
    • Tarts & Pies
  • Seasons
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fall/Winter
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
  • American Favorites
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Drinks
    • Lunch
    • Main Dish
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes

Sign Up for My Newsletter and free EBook ✉️

An Italian in my Kitchen

Authentic Italian Recipes

  • Recipes
  • Ingredient
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Chocolate
    • Eggs
    • Fish & Seafood
    • fruit
    • Nuts
    • Pasta
    • Pork
    • Potatoes
    • Vegetables
  • Course
    • Drinks
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Lunch
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Main Dish
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Pasta
    • Casseroles & Bakes
    • Pizza / Bread
    • Salads
    • Soups & Stews
    • Desserts
      • Cookies & Bars
      • Donuts & Pastries
      • Frostings & Glazes
      • Homemade Candy
      • Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts
      • Muffins & Sweet Breads
      • No-Bake Desserts
      • Tarts & Pies
  • Seasons
    • Cooking Tips for Making it Italian
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fall/Winter
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Recipe Collections
  • American Favorites
    • Drinks
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Main Dish
    • Desserts
Home » Ingredient » Pasta » Sicilian Pasta

Sicilian Pasta

By: Rosemary Published: August 31, 2021 Updated on: September 13, 2021

Share

Share
Pin
Email
Jump to Recipe

Sicilian Pasta is the perfect pasta dish for summer with fresh eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings. Quick, easy pasta recipe with plenty of cheese, too. It’s very simple, but like many recipes from Sicily, it’s absolutely delicious.

Sicilian pasta in a white baking dish.

During the summer we trade the heavy pasta dishes for recipes like this Sicilian pasta recipe – a pasta dish with fresh summer vegetables. In this case, eggplant is the star making this a light but still satisfying dinner. And an easy one!

Back home I used to hear people comment on how they didn’t like eggplant because it tastes so bitter. But after watching and learning from my mother-in-law I learned hot to eliminate that bitterness. And because of that, it’s become a favourite ingredient. Especially during the summer when it’s widely available.

So how do you make eggplant less bitter, you might be wondering? Well, you need to salt it and let it sit for a while before cooking it. The salt draws out a lot of moisture and the bitter flavor. Once cooked, it’s soft and meaty. Perfect for a pasta dish like this authentic Sicilian pasta.

All of the ingredients are combined with cheese and then baked just until warmed through and toasty on top. The combination of the soft eggplant, tomatoes, and garlic is a classic flavor combination we never get tired of – you won’t either once you give it a try.

Pasta in a white baking dish with some on a spoon.

Table of Contents

  • Sicilian Pasta Ingredients
  • Recipe Steps
      • Never Miss a Recipe!
  • Recipe Tips
  • How to store it
  • More Ways to Use Eggplant
  • Sicilian Pasta Recipe
    • Ingredients US CustomaryMetric 1x2x3x
      • *Don't use a pasta too small or a long pasta.
    • Instructions 
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

Sicilian Pasta Ingredients

  • Medium-sized eggplants
  • Salt – you don’t need much, just enough to season the eggplant and draw out the moisture, about 1/4 teaspoon.
  • Olive oil
  • Water
  • Minced garlic
  • Canned Pelati tomatoes – or other canned peeled whole tomatoes.
  • Oregano
  • Basil
  • Hot pepper flakes – this is optional, but a few pinches add a nice subtle heat to the pasta.
  • Firm shredded mozzarella
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Short pasta like penne, rotini, rigatoni, or other short shape you like.

Recipe Steps

Peel and cut the eggplant into cubes. Place them in a bowl and toss them with salt. Leave for at least 20 minutes. Drain off the excess liquid in the bowl and then add the cubes to a hot pan with olive oil and a little water.

Eggplant in a pan before cooking.

While the eggplant is cooking, boil the water and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve some of the pasta water when you drain the pasta. Cook the eggplant cubes until golden and tender. Remove them from the pan and set them aside in a bowl.

Cooked eggplant in a white bowl.

In the same pan, heat more oil and then add the tomatoes. Break them down as they cook. Add the seasonings, cooked eggplant, and a little more water to the pan.

Tomato sauce in a black pan with eggplant cooked.
Subscribe Today

Never Miss a Recipe!

Subscribe today and receive my free e-book of recipes!

    We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Cook everything for about five minutes and then add the cooked pasta plus some starchy pasta water.

    Pasta & water added to the pan with the tomatoes & eggplant.

    Add the mozzarella cheese and half of the Parmesan. Gently fold them into the other ingredients and then transfer the pasta to a medium-sized baking dish.

    Cheese added to the pasta mixture.

    Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top and bake for 10 to 15 minutes and then let it rest for a few minutes at room temperature before serving.

    Sicilian pasta ready to be baked in a white baking dish.

    Recipe Tips

    Canned tomatoes are best for this recipe and easier, too. I like the whole peeled kind but you could use passata (tomato puree) if you don’t want to break down the whole tomatoes in the pan.

    As I mentioned before, salting the eggplant is an important step and shouldn’t be skipped. It will make the eggplant less bitter and softer once it’s cooked.

    If you want to add to this dish, feel free to try some chopped anchovies. Not everyone is a fan but added to pasta you don’t really taste fish but instead a salty savory flavor. You can also use anchovy paste in a tube if you can find it.

    I love fresh Mozzarella but not for this eggplant pasta. It has too much water that will end up in the sauce. It’s better to use a low-moisture firm mozzarella instead.

    Pregrated Parmesan cheese is convenient but I never advise using it, freshly grated has so much flavour and better texture. For a simple dish like this, I recommend grating it fresh before adding it to the pasta.

    How to store it

    Any leftover pasta should be covered tightly and stored in the fridge. It will last up to 3-5 days. It can be reheated in a low oven or microwave until warmed through.

    Simple and so delicious this Sicilian pasta is always a favorite. If you love eggplant as we do, you must give it a try! Enjoy!

    More Ways to Use Eggplant

    • Baked Eggplant Casserole
    • Breaded Eggplant
    • Eggplant Caprese
    • Eggplant Mess/Pasticcio
    Sicilian pasta with some on a spoon in a white baking dish.
    Sicilian pasta with some on a spoon in a white baking dish.

    Sicilian Pasta Recipe

    Rosemary Molloy
    Sicilian Pasta is the perfect pasta dish for summer with fresh eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings. Add some cheese for a delicious dish.
    5 from 5 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Dish
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 497 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 medium eggplants
    • ¼-½ teaspoon salt
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
    • ½ cup water (divided)
    • 1-2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 can Pelati tomatoes (14 ounce can) (400 grams)
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • ½ teaspoon basil
    • 1-2 pinches hot pepper flakes (if desired)
    • 1 pinch salt
    • ½ cup firm mozzarella
    • ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (divided)
    • 4 cups cooked short pasta (penne, rigatoni etc)*

    *Don't use a pasta too small or a long pasta.

      Instructions
       

      • Peel and cut the eggplant into medium cubes, place them in a medium/large bowl toss with 1/4 teaspoon of salt, leave for about 20-30 minutes, drain any excess liquid but do not rinse before adding to the pan.
      • Start to boil the water while the eggplant is cooking, add the pasta, cook until a little more than al dente.
      • In a large pan add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the cubed eggplant and ¼ cup of pasta water cook until golden and tender. Move with a slotted spoon to a clean bowl. Set aside.
      • Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C).
      • In the same pan add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes (mashed into small pieces or you can you tomato passata) oregano, basil, hot pepper flakes, a pinch of salt, 1/4 cup water and the cooked eggplant. Cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add ⅓ cup of pasta water, the pasta, mozzarella and half the parmesan cheese.
      • Gently fold together, then place in a medium baking dish 10×7 inches (27×18 cm), sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes then serve. Enjoy!

      Notes

      I don’t always peel the eggplant but peeling also helps keep the eggplant tender and not bitter.
      Any leftover pasta should be covered tightly and stored in the fridge. It will last up to 3-5 days. It can be reheated in a low oven or microwave until warmed through.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 497kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 18gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 452mgPotassium: 688mgFiber: 9gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 258IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 258mgIron: 2mg
      Keyword Italian pasta recipe, sicilian pasta, sicilian pasta recipe
      Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

      Subscribe Today

      Never Miss a Recipe!

      Subscribe today and receive my free e-book of recipes!

        We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.


        Casseroles & Bakes, Lunch, Main Dish, Pasta, Vegetables

        Related

        Comments

          Leave a Reply Cancel reply

          Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

          Recipe Rating




          This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

        1. Blitzo says

          September 23, 2022 at 3:50 am

          5 stars
          Wow! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            September 23, 2022 at 3:33 pm

            Hi Blitzo, you’re welcome, hope you enjoyed it. Take care!

            Reply
        2. LYDIA says

          September 3, 2021 at 8:11 pm

          5 stars
          Hi Rosemary,
          Sounds like you had a good summer. I love this recipe. Anything eggplant, really! My aunt made a similar sauce only added zucchini, also. We called it “Summer Sauce” because it used a lot of the garden bounty and it was lighter than the usual meatball laden sauce. Definitely loved by all generations! Thanks again for all the yumminess!

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            September 4, 2021 at 7:14 pm

            Hi Lydia, thanks so much, adding zucchini to a sauce is so good, my MIL would also do that. Have a great weekend.

            Reply
        3. Angelina says

          September 3, 2021 at 6:07 pm

          This dish sounds & looks incredibly delicious! I’m of Italian & Greek descent, married to an Italian guy, so you can imagine that we love & eat a lot of eggplant dishes. By Pelati tomatoes, I assume they’re San Marzano DOP Tomatoes, which are seriously the very best, due to the volcanic soil & growing conditions. Fortunately, there’s an Italian specialty store in our town, so I always buy several cans there. Whenever I make dishes with eggplant, I usually don’t peel all of the skin off-I peel a strip, leave the skin on the next strip, then peel another strip, etc….. I’m anxious to serve this lovely casserole when my Sicilian in-laws next come to dinner. As in your photo, I plan to use Penne’ Rigati pasta. Thank you for this wonderful recipe, Rosemary. 🌻

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            September 4, 2021 at 7:36 pm

            Hi Angelina, I never really knew eggplant until I married an Italian, but I love it, one of my favourites. And I peel my eggplant the exact same way! I hope they enjoy it. Take care and have a great weekend.

            Reply

        Hi, I'm Rosemary.

        Living in Italy I learned to cook authentic Italian dishes using whole ingredients, fresh veggies and delicious spices. So take a seat and have a taste! Read More

        Most Popular

        pizza dough 3 rounds on parchment paper

        Best Pizza Dough

        puff pastry cut in half stacked.

        Quick & Easy Homemade Puff Pastry

        Homemade Potato Gnocchi

        Pieces of fudge on parchment paper.

        Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge

        Sauce and pasta in a bowl with some on a fork.

        Authentic Bolognese Sauce

        5 stacked lemon cookies.

        Italian Lemon Cookies

        Filter By Date

        Readers Favorite Trending Recipes

        pizza dough 3 rounds on parchment paper

        Best Pizza Dough

        Homemade Potato Gnocchi

        puff pastry cut in half stacked.

        Quick & Easy Homemade Puff Pastry

        Sauce and pasta in a bowl with some on a fork.

        Authentic Bolognese Sauce

        Ingredients.

        • Beef
        • Chicken
        • Chocolate
        • Eggs
        • Fish & Seafood
        • Pasta
        • Pork

        Course.

        • Appetizers & Snacks
        • Breakfast / Brunch
        • Drinks
        • Lunch
        • Main Dish

        Browse.

        • About Me – Rosemary Molloy
        • Contact
        • Disclosure/Privacy
        • Recipe Index
        Copyright ©2023, An Italian in my Kitchen. All Rights Reserved.
        Design by Pixel Me Designs