25-Minute Creamy Eggplant and Ricotta Pasta

eggplant and ricotta pasta in a dish topped with fresh basil leaves

25-Minute Creamy Eggplant and Ricotta Pasta

Ready within 25 minutes, this creamy pasta with eggplant and ricotta is the perfect easy Italian pasta. It is made with simple ingredients, like sauteed pancetta and eggplant, tomatoes, ricotta and basil. Filled with fresh flavours, plus an unexpected smoky kick from the pancetta, this pasta dish absolutely screams Italy!

Course Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Servings people

Calories 793kcal

Author Pina Bresciani

Ingredients

400 grams mezzi rigatoni or other short pasta
2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
⅓ cup yellow onions diced
3 cups eggplant diced
¾ cups pancetta diced
1 cup tomato passata (crushed strained tomatoes)
5 leaves basil
1.25 cups ricotta
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt, and drop the pasta in. Cook until it's before al dente (about 2-3 minutes before it's done cooking, remove it from the pot and place it into the sauce – it will finish cooking in the sauce)
While the water is boiling/pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan (that is large enough to fit the pasta) over medium heat.
Add the olive oil to the pan. Once heated through, add the onion and diced eggplant. Let it cooked until eggplant is slightly softened, 5-7 minutes.
Add in pancetta and cook until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
Add in the passata, along with some water that you've used to rinse out the measuring cup/container with passata in it (about ¼ to ½ cup).
Let everything cook together until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Adjust for salt and pepper.
Add in the ricotta and basil and mix once more.
By this time the pasta should be ready. Drain the pasta, being sure to reserve some pasta water.
Add the pasta to the pan (still over medium heat), along with pasta water. The pasta water will help to loosen the sauce, and give it a silky texture.
Cook the pasta in the sauce for a few minutes until cooked to al dente and a nice sauce has formed.
Plate and enjoy! Top with grated parmigiano reggiano if desired.

Notes

You could decide to not add the ricotta to the sauce. It would be delicious with just the onion, eggplant, pancetta, tomatoes and basil. Top with grated parmigiano reggiano once plated and enjoy!

Nutrition