Spaccatelle: Tuna and Aubergine

Name: Spaccatelle: Tuna and Aubergine (Spaccatelle con Tonno e Melanzane)
Yield: Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 150 g drained top-quality canned tuna in oil (or 200 g fresh tuna, plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil); 150 g drained top-quality canned tuna in oil (or 200 g fresh tuna, plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil); 1 smaller than average aubergine (300 g); 150 g drained top-quality canned tuna in oil (or 200 g fresh tuna, plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil); 160 g spaccatelle; 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 240 g fresh tomatoes (cherry or plum), cut into chunks; 240 g fresh tomatoes (cherry or plum), cut into chunks; 240 g fresh tomatoes (cherry or plum), cut into chunks; vegetable oil for deep-frying; 1 red onion (150 g), finely chopped; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon crushed dried chilli flakes; 75 ml white wine; 2 tablespoons chopped mint; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Spaccatelle con Tonno e Melanzane

Preparation info

Serves
4
as a starter

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Geometry of Pasta

By Caz Hildebrand and Jacob Kenedy

Published 2010

About

This recipe would traditionally be made with swordfish. Given our huge appetite and lack of regard for this majestic creature, which has been hunted to the brink of extinction, I use tuna from sustainable sources instead. Best to direct our consumption temporarily elsewhere until the swordfish have recovered from our excesses.

Ingredients

160 g spaccatelle
150 g drained top-quality canned tuna in oil (or 200

Method

If using canned tuna, break it up into chunks. If using fresh, dice 2cm, season with salt and sauté briefly in the oil, just to seal the outside.

Dice the aubergine 2cm, season lightly with salt and deep-fry in very hot vegetable oil (corn or sunflower are best) until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

About 20 minutes before you’re ready to eat, fry the onion, garlic and chilli