Cold Pasta with Eggplant and Feta

17/11/2023

Cold pasta with eggplant and feta is a simple and delicious dish, perfect for summer. Here’s the recipe with an Italian touch:

Ingredients

320 g of short pasta (such as farfalle or fusilli)
2 medium eggplants
200 g of feta
Fresh basil to taste
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove of garlic
Balsamic vinegar (optional)
Cherry tomatoes to taste (for an extra fresh and colorful touch!)

Preparation

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions until it is al dente. Drain and cool under running water to stop the cooking process. Dress with a little oil to prevent the pasta from sticking and set aside to cool completely.
Cut the eggplants into equal-sized cubes, salt them, and let them rest for about 30 minutes so that they lose their bitterness. Rinse the eggplants under running water and dry them by patting with kitchen paper.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the clove of garlic to flavor the oil. Remove the garlic and add the eggplants to the pan. Sauté them until they are golden and soft. If you wish, towards the end of cooking you can add a little balsamic vinegar to slightly caramelize the eggplants.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the cooked eggplants. Crumble the feta and mix it with the pasta.
Wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add them to the mixture.
Season with salt and pepper, and dress with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and hand-torn basil leaves.
Mix well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

The dish can be further personalized by adding chopped black olives, capers, or pieces of roasted peppers for an even more Mediterranean flavor. Enjoy your meal!

Curiosity

Feta is a cheese typically Greek, but it pairs wonderfully with Mediterranean ingredients such as eggplants. This dish is an example of Italian cuisine embracing flavors from other cultures, creating a perfect blend for summer outdoor dinners.