Rigatoni with Kalamata Olives, Capers, Eggplants and Manouri Cheese

3.75 from 8 votes

Whether it's a meatless option or just a quick healthy pasta dish you want, this easy, tangy rigatoni dish, with Kalamata olives, capers, garlic, and eggplant, is great. The mild, buttery Greek cheese, manouri, tames the robust flavor of the olives and capers. You can find many of the ingredients in this recipe online in my shop. Best of all: You can serve this as a main course or a warm or room temp pasta salad, too!

3.75 from 8 votes

Rigatoni with Kalamata Olives, Capers, Eggplants and Manouri Cheese

By Diane Kochilas

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Servings

Main Courses, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Servings

Main Courses, Pasta, Recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 large eggplant trimmed and cut into ¾-inch/ 1.5-cm cubes
Salt
½ cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
4 garlic cloves crushed and minced
2 salted anchovies optional, mashed with a fork
1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes or Greek boukovo
2 cups canned chopped plum tomatoes
1 pound / ½ kilo rigatoni or ziti
6 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
½ cup Kalamata olives pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons capers rinsed
4 oz. / 120 g Greek manouri cheese or ricotta salata coarsely grated, or
1 jar manouri in olive oil, chopped (reserve the oil for the pasta, too)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F/170C. Toss the eggplant, salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil together. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes, turning once with a spatula, until the eggplant cubes are tender and lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
In a heavy skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and gently cook the garlic, mashed anchovies and hot pepper flakes for about a minute, stirring. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, add 1 heaping tablespoon salt. Boil the pasta until al dente. Remove, save 1 cup of the pasta water, and drain. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Finish the sauce: Add the eggplant, olives and capers to the simmering tomato sauce and warm through. Toss the pasta in with the sauce, diluting if necessary with a little of the pasta water. Serve with grated fresh or dried manouri cheese or chopped or drained, chopped or crumbled manouri in olive oil. Drizzle some of the olive oil into the pasta, too, if using.

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Note: You can serve this hot, warm or at room temperature.

Diane’s Greek Single-origin Artisanal Foods

Visit my online shop for a wide selection of Greek single-origin artisanal foods, from honeys to wild herbs, olives, olive oils, pistachios, heirloom grain products, fruit preserves and more.

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Travel Cook Eat & Live with Diane

Diane Kochilas is one of the world’s foremost experts on Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. She is the host, creator and co-producer of My Greek Table, the award-winning 13-episode per season cooking-travel show about Greece that airs nationally on Public Television. The series is in its third season.

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Rigatoni with Kalamata Olives, Capers, Eggplants and Manouri Cheese