Spaghetti with roasted aubergine sauce

This is one of those sauces I discovered by accident whilst experimenting one evening. I am a big fan of aubergines; they are surprisingly versatile, but I think some people are scared of cooking them or tend to think they are tough and rubbery. There is a technique called “degorger” in French, which is when you salt the aubergines to release their bitter juices; the same is often done with courgettes. Again, I do not feel this is wholly necessary, as if you roast them in the oven, they become soft and melt in the mouth. Aubergines are like sponges with oil, so I find this way of roasting them doesn’t use up quite as much.

Ingredients

1 aubergine

A little olive oil

½ cup white wine

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste

1 handful of fresh basil, torn

Spaghetti

Method

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5, 375 F 190 C. Place the aubergine whole as it is straight onto a baking rack. Let it roast in the oven for about 30-40 minutes until it starts to shrivel up like a prune. Take the aubergine out and rest to cool on a plate. Once cool, slice in half and scoop out the lovely soft flesh. In a saucepan, heat some olive oil and add the garlic and aubergine mixture; stir around for a few moments and season with salt and pepper. Add the white wine and the tomato paste and reduce for a few moments, then add the basil. Take it off the heat to cool slightly, then blend with a hand blender until smooth but still with a bit of texture. Transfer back to the pan to warm through and serve with the cooked spaghetti.

Put the leftover sauce into a freezer bag once cooled and you’re ready for next time!