Melanzane Rosse di Rotonda con Pasta - Red Aubergine Pasta Sauce

I discovered the red aubergines from Rotonda - a village in Basilcata - in London. I had never heard of them before. They are so beautiful that I kept them for days in the center of my dining table before deciding to cook them. 

They look like tomatoes but they keep the white flesh and the shape of the round aubergine, in miniature, with a tangy taste. They're small vegetables with a strong personality.

To balance the bitterness, I combined the red aubergines with a good bunch of fresh red onions, the sweetest ever, and with ripe cherry tomatoes.

The fresh basil gives an extra Mediterranean aroma to the sauce.

Melanzane Rosse di Rotonda con Pasta
Red Aubergine Pasta Sauce 

350 g short dried pasta, such as penne or fusilli
400 g red aubergines, halved and finely sliced
1 tablespoon oregano
500 g red onions, preferably the fresh ones from Tropea, finely sliced
400 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
10 black olives, stoned
A good handful of fresh basil
30 g freshly grated Parmesan
Sea salt and black pepper
Extra Virgin Oil

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

1. In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the aubergines with a pinch of salt and the oregano on low-medium heat for 20 minutes, until soft. Stir frequently. 
2. In another large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt on low heat for 20 minutes, until completely softened. 
3. Increase the heat, add the cherry tomatoes to the onions and sauté for just 2 minutes. You need to keep them firm. 
4. Add the aubergines, the olives and the basil to the vegetables; stir through to combine and cook for just 2 minutes, to keep it hot. 
5. Meanwhile, in a saucepan cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water, as directed. 
6. Reserve 40 ml of cooking water. Drain. 
7. Add pasta to the sauce. Toss to coat, adding reserved water as needed. 
8. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately with a good sprinkle of Parmesan on top.