Here’s another special pasta I got as gift this Christmas.
Candele is typical pasta from Naples, Campagna region of Italy. As you might guess it got its name from a smooth, cylindrical form that resembles a candle. Very much like those real candles that were used in various religious processions common to Southern Italy.
Candele pasta is also rather similar to ziti, with a difference that candele have a large diameter, hence more inside space for the sauce.
So if you’re like me, got a pack of candele as a present or just got it for yourself there’s more than one way to prepare them.
Starting from simple and always winning Ragu alla Bolognese, to even using them for baked pasta, like Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno.
And here’s another variation, totally vegetarian and light, but yet with intense flavors of sweet, savory and briny.
Note: If you got long shape candele, bread them in half before boiling.
Full Recipe
Candele Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Bell Pepper & Olives
Ingredients
- 12 oz candele pasta or other short type of pasta
- 1 medium size eggplant cut in cubes
- 1 large bell pepper cut in cubes
- ¼ cup green olives roughly chopped
- 1 cup tomato passata (tomato puree)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon capers optional
- 2 tablespoon parsley chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put water for pasta to boil and cook candele pasta (or any other short type of pasta) until ‘al dente’ according to directions on the package.
- In a large skillet pan add a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and garlic cloves crushed with a flat knife. Wait till garlic starts to become fragrant.
- Remove garlic, add eggplant and bell pepper cubes. Cook on medium heat until almost done.
- Add tomato passatata (tomato puree), roughly chopped olives and capers if you like.
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Lastly add another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and chopped parsley.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
By the way, did you know you can use this sauce as a side dish?
Just double or even triple the ingredients and I'd suggest definitely add cherry tomatoes cut in quarters.
OR...you can make a whole pan of sauce and use half for pasta and save half as a side dish for dinner.
How about that? 🙂
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