Bacon Rigatoni with Aubergine, Tomato & Feta

There's an Italy-meets-Greece vibe to tonight's dinner. Pasta and pancetta are in the Italian corner and feta cheese is representing the Greek contingent. They're joined by luscious roast aubergine which is equally beloved of both countries. It's like being on holiday in two places at once!

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat your grill to high. Put a large saucepan of water with 0.5 tsp salt on to boil for the pasta. Trim the aubergine then halve lengthways. Chop each half into 1cm wide long strips then chop widthways into roughly 1cm pieces. Halve, peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Halve the tomatoes. Roughly chop the parsley (stalks and all). Crumble the feta into rough chunks.

Step 2

Grill the Aubergine

Step 3

Put the aubergine on a baking tray and drizzle with a little oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out evenly and pop under your grill until soft and browned, 15-20 mins. Turn halfway through cooking. TIP: Keep an eye on the aubergine - you may need to adjust the heat if it starts to brown too quickly! Once cooked, remove from the grill but don't turn it off.

Step 4

Cook the rigatoni

Step 5

Meanwhile, add the rigatoni to your pan of boiling water and cook until 'al dente', about 12 mins. Once cooked, drain the pasta in a colander and return to the pan. Drizzle over a little oil and stir through to stop it sticking together.

Step 6

Start the sauce

Step 7

In the meantime, heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the bacon lardons and stir-fry until browned and crispy, 5-6 mins. Add the shallot, stir and cook until soft, 3-4 mins. Add the garlic and chilli flakes (only a pinch - they're hot!), stir together and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the finely chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of sugar (if you have some).

Step 8

Simmer

Step 9

Lower the heat to medium and simmer the sauce until it has thickened and reduced by half, 6-7 mins. Once the aubergine is cooked, stir it into the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.

Step 10

Grill the tomatoes

Step 11

Meanwhile, put the plum tomatoes and feta on the baking tray you used for the aubergine (no need to wash it). Drizzle with oil and season with pepper. Gently combine them, then grill until the feta is browned and the tomatoes are soft, 4-5 mins. Stir the pasta into the sauce and stir in half the parsley. Serve in bowls with the grilled tomatoes and feta on top, sprinkled with the remaining parsley. Enjoy!

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