Main dishes

Aubergine and sausage pasta

15 min Cook
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Aubergine and sausage pasta

Aubergine and sausage is one of those consolidated combinations of the Italian cuisine that almost any family has its own recipe for it. The aubergine is pan fried in oil (typically sunflower or canola oil, which are lighter than olive oil) together with a yellow onion and (sometimes) a crushed sausage. Variations include carrot, celery and other spices, depending on how aromatic is the sausage.

Differences are also found in the cheese used to top the pasta at the end of cooking: from Grana Padano to Pecorino Romano, reality is that however you prepare it, this pasta never disappoints. In this plant-based version, I used a mild-flavored vegan sausage and add saffron to the sauce, which adds depth and a warm golden color to the pasta.

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Aubergine and sausage pasta

Aubergine and sausage pasta

corinthian
In this plant-based version of the Italian classic, we used a simple sauce made of pan-fried aubergine, a mild-flavored vegan sausage, and saffron as a rich and flavorful condiment for "trottole" (pinwheels) pasta. A typical summer dish, it's a great way of using aubergines without tomatoes.
prep time
10 min
cooking time
15 min
servings
2
total time
25 minutes

Equipment

  • Knife

  • Chopping board

  • Pasta pot

  • Skillet

Ingredients

  • 160 g short pasta

  • 4.5 litres water

  • 1 pinch of coarse salt

  • 1/4 cup sunflower oil

  • 1 yellow onion

  • 1 large Italian aubergine

  • 1 plant-based sausage

  • 1/2 g saffron powder

  • 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano

  • 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1

Cook the pasta

Fill the pot with 4.5 litres of water, cover with a lid, and bring it to the boil over high heat. When the water starts to bubble, take off the lid, add a pinch of coarse salt, and add the pasta. Cook for ~10-12 minutes, according to the instructions on the pasta package (timing depends on the type of pasta you use) for al dente. When the pasta is cooked, take off the heat and drain.
2

Prepare the sauce

While you're cooking the pasta, heat the oil in the skillet over low-medium heat. Peel and thinly slice the onion, and add it to the skillet. Stir to coat with the oil. Rinse well the aubergine, chop off the ends and discard them. Dice the aubergine into small cubes, and add them to the skillet. Stir well to mix with the onion, then season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste. Peel the sausage from its skin, chop it coarsely with the kinfe, and add it to the skillet. Mix well and, while doing so, gently crush the sausage further, until it disintegrates and mix in with the onion and aubergine. Continue to cook, stirring from time to time, until the pasta is ready.
3

Prepare the saffron bath

In a small glass or cup, dissolve the saffron powder into 25 ml water at room temperature.
4

Mix and serve

Add the drained pasta to the skillet, drizzle with the dissolved saffron, and gently fold the pasta into the sauce until all the excess water is absorbed. Take off the heat, add the grated cheese directly onto the pasta and fold it again. Finally, add the fresh parsley and gently mix. Serve hot or warm. Buon appetito!

Notes

Types of pasta suited for this recipe are fusilli, farfalle, penne, and maccheroncini. In place or Pecorino Romano, you can use Grana Padano, Parmigiano Reggiano, or other type of hard cheese (I recommend goat cheese).
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