Rigatoni caponata gratin
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Toby Scott
Rigatoni caponata gratin
Recipe by Cate Dixon
A comforting pasta gratin, ready to serve in 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
425Kcal
Fat
8gr
Saturates
1gr
Carbs
72gr
Sugars
15gr
Fibre
9gr
Protein
13gr
Salt
0.6gr
Cate Dixon
Cate is a professionally trained chef turned recipe writer and food stylist with a love of vibrant, seasonal and nourishing dishes. When she’s not experimenting in the kitchen, she’s cycling between local markets or tending to her many flowerpots
See more of Cate Dixon’s recipes
Cate Dixon
Cate is a professionally trained chef turned recipe writer and food stylist with a love of vibrant, seasonal and nourishing dishes. When she’s not experimenting in the kitchen, she’s cycling between local markets or tending to her many flowerpots
See more of Cate Dixon’s recipes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra- virgin olive oil
- 1 aubergine, cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 red onion, roughly chopped
- 4 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 6 ripe large plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp capers, plus 1 tbsp of the brine
- 30g sultanas
- ½ x 30g pack flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 300g dried rigatoni - use egg-free pasta if required
- 20g panko or other dried breadcrumbs
Step by step
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the chopped aubergine with a pinch of salt and fry for 3 minutes until starting to colour. Add the onion, celery and half the garlic and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Reduce the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, capers, brine, sultanas and 150ml boiling water. Simmer for 8 minutes or until you have a thick sauce and the tomatoes have started to break down. Stir through the parsley, reserving 1 tablespoon, and season to taste.
- Meanwhile, add the rigatoni to a pan of salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 50ml of the cooking water.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small pan, add the rest of the garlic and the panko breadcrumbs and fry for 1-2 minutes until golden. Season and mix with the reserved parsley.
- Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and 50ml pasta water. Divide between 4 warmed pasta bowls and sprinkle with the crispy garlic crumbs to serve.
