Tagliatelle with Eggplant, Pesto, and Cherry Tomatoes

Tagliatelle with eggplant, pesto, and cherry tomatoes is a colorful and flavorful dish that blends Italian tradition with a touch of creativity. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 250 g of tagliatelle
• 1 large eggplant
• 200 g of cherry tomatoes
• 100 g of Genovese pesto
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Fresh basil (for garnish)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

1. Wash the eggplant, cut it into cubes, and place it in a colander with some coarse salt for about 30 minutes to remove the bitterness.
2. In the meantime, wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half.
3. Rinse the eggplant cubes to remove the salt and dry them well.
4. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan and sauté the eggplant cubes until they are golden and soft.
5. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan with the eggplants and cook for a few minutes.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the tagliatelle until it reaches the desired doneness.
7. Drain the pasta, saving some cooking water, and transfer it to the pan with the eggplants and cherry tomatoes. Add the pesto and mix well, adding a little cooking water if necessary to make the sauce creamy.
8. Garnish with torn fresh basil and, if you like, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
9. Serve hot.

Curiosity

Pesto, a sauce originating from Liguria, goes very well not only with pasta but also with vegetables like eggplant. The touch of fresh basil at the end is a tribute to the freshness of the pesto and adds a summer flavor to the dish. Eggplants, with their meaty texture, create a beautiful balance of textures with the juicy cherry tomatoes and the smooth tagliatelle.