I love this style of pasta dish as it’s so simple to make. Rigatoni is a tube shaped pasta that varies in lengths. It comes from an Italian word which means ridged. It’s this ridge on the surface of the pasta that helps trap the sauce and flavours unlike smoother pastas. Usually more popular in Southern Italy. My version has chorizo and eggplant which marry so well. Smothered in a luscious tomato puree and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, makes this a simple but taste meal.
Add water to a large pot, bring to the boil and salt. Add pasta and cook aldente.
Dice up the eggplant and chorizo into cubes and place in a frying pan with olive oil on high heat. Once eggplant is golden brown, turn down heat and add the chili, garlic and oregano. Cook 1 to 2 more minutes until soft. Add the crushed tomatoes.
Once your pasta is cooked a little less than aldente, drain (keep some pasta water aside) and add pasta directly into the pan. Mix well, add half a ladle of pasta water if too thick, mix and cook a little longer for pasta to absorb some of the sauce then serve immediately.
Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
If pasta takes 14 minutes to cook aldente, then cook it for 12 minutes and finish cooking the remaining 2 minutes in the sauce.
If the chorizo is fresh (uncooked) then start frying it together with the eggplant.
Salt using anchovies instead of salt, for a nicer flavour.
By Joel Mielle
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