Lunch this Week: Eggplant Caponata Pasta

Although a little late in the week to be publishing it, for the last few days I have been enjoying eggplant caponata for my daily take-to-work lunch. This dish actually works exceedingly well as a dinner pasta as well, but due to the strident dislike that a certain member of my household holds for eggplant, I must relegate such a favorite to a lunch that I, alone, enjoy!

This pasta is very quickly and easily made and is also enjoyed as a non-vegetarian meal with chicken. Read below to learn about how! But, at the heart of this meal, is the eggplant caponata. I absolutely love it and would eat it as often as possible in all forms if it were, perhaps, more readily available. Look carefully through your supermarket, particularly in areas marked "international" or where there are cans and jars of roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, and olives. My personal favorite is the kind made by Progresso, but sometimes I must search through many stores to locate any caponata at all. You can also order Progresso online at Amazon.com if you run out of other options. The other spot where you might be able to find it is in the fridge section with hummus. Sabra makes a fresh caponata that is quite delicious, but it does not keep for long and is also rather rare.

And what, exactly, is caponata? A delicous blend of diced, sauteed eggplant and Mediterranean spice. Most caponatas also feature olives, but I am careful to pick those out since I am not such a fan. Basically, if you are a fan of eggplant, you will be a fan of caponata.

To start, heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan. Add 3 minced cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces. Substitute a couple teaspoons of dried basil if you do not have fresh leaves. Stir until the garlic is beginning to brown and the basil is well sauteed. Add two small cans of caponata. Stir. Add a can of diced tomatoes. Add about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Continue to stir. At this point the sauce should be a little bit bubbly.

Add cooked pasta. I prefer bow-ties but any pasta is fine. Mix the pasta in well and serve!

Variation:
Not big on vegetarian pastas like I am? This one works well chicken as well. Cut a chicken breast into small, bite-sized pieces. Marinate the chicken pieces in lemon juice for 30 minutes. Place flour on a plate and drop each chicken piece in the flour, rolling it around to obtain a coating.

Place a small amount of olive oil in a pan. Heat the oil. Add the garlic and basil as described above. Add the chicken. Saute for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Then, continue as above with caponata.

If you prefer, you can also prepare the chicken in a separate pan than the pasta, allowing those who enjoy it to add when others can leave it vegetarian.