Fileja Tropeana
A delicious and easy vegetarian pasta dish from Calabria made with fresh summer veggies, peperoncino and Tropea onion! Perfect for lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
- 350 gfileja ((12oz) or fusilli)
- 3zucchini
- 1eggplants
- 8cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- ½tropea onion (peeled and finely sliced)
- 30 gparmigiano reggiano ((1oz) grated)
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- salt (for the pasta and to taste)
- 1handful basil leaves (chopped)
- ½red chili (peperoncino) (chopped ( or 1 tsp dried flakes))
Directions
- 1
Wash and trim the zucchini and eggplant and cut into small chunks. Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. If using, remove the seeds from the peperoncino and cut into very small pieces.
- 2
Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add salt when it starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
- 3
In a frying pan or skillet, fry the finely sliced onion in the olive oil.
- 4
Add the zucchini and the eggplant and sauté over medium heat until they start to soften slightly.
- 5
Add the cherry tomato halves and the finely chopped chili . Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes. The vegetables should remain crunchy.
- 6
Finally add the handful of chopped basil.
- 7
Cook the fileja al dente according to the instructions on the packet in the boiling salted water. When the pasta is ready save some of the cooking water, drain the pasta and add to the pan with the sauce.
- 8
Stir the pasta and sauce together on the stove with some tablespoons of cooking water from the pasta and grated Parmigiano cheese.
- 9
Serve hot with extra grated Parmigiano as required.