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Fish, Italy

Swordfish and eggplant pasta

Swordfish and eggplant pasta is an Italian dish for 4 people, ready in 45 minutes, easy to make, for a cost of €4.00 per person. Short pasta mingles with cubes of pearly swordfish, golden eggplant and burst cherry tomatoes. The key to success is salting the eggplant first and cooking the fish very briefly.

Off to Sicily with short pasta, cubes of swordfish, golden eggplant, cherry tomatoes and a hint of mint.

Swordfish and eggplant pasta
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.00
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer

This dish smells like Sicily from the first bite, with eggplant that turns silky after soaking up olive oil and cherry tomatoes that burst into a light sauce. Swordfish brings a firm, pearly texture, quite different from the usual tuna pasta, and fresh mint stirred in at the end wakes up the whole plate with an unexpected note.

Make it on a summer evening when eggplant and tomatoes are at their best, or for guests without spending hours in the kitchen. It takes a little planning because the eggplant needs to sit with salt first, but everything moves fast once the vegetables are ready. Mon Chou likes to serve it warm rather than piping hot, the flavors come through better that way.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Rigatoni or penneoften in the pantry 360 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fish counter

  • Swordfish 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Eggplants 2
  • Cherry tomatoes 300 g
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Mint 8 leaves

Allergens Gluten, Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the eggplants into cubes, salt them and let them sit, then pat them dry. 15 min

    Press the eggplant cubes between two towels after salting, they'll soak up much less oil in the pan.

  2. Brown them in hot oil until tender, then set aside. 8 min

    Brown the eggplant in two batches, crowded together they release water and steam instead of browning.

  3. Cook the garlic and cherry tomatoes in the same pan until the tomatoes burst. 6 min

    Mash half the tomatoes with a fork once they burst, their juice becomes the sauce.

  4. Add the diced swordfish and cook it briefly. 3 min

    Overcooked swordfish turns dry, it should stay pearly in the center.

  5. Cook the pasta in salted water, then toss with the sauce, the eggplant and the chopped mint. 10 min

    Add the mint off the heat, the warmth turns it dark and dulls its freshness.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick swordfish that's very fresh, firm and without a strong smell, it cooks in seconds and won't forgive poor quality to start with.
  • Keep the pan very hot for the eggplant, a lukewarm pan lets it stew in its own juice instead of browning.
  • Save a little pasta cooking water before draining, it helps loosen the sauce if it looks too dry.

The variations

  • Swap the swordfish for fresh tuna or monkfish, the short cooking time stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the fish and add capers or black olives for a salty kick.
  • For kids, blend the tomato and eggplant sauce before tossing it with the pasta, the texture goes down easier.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of cold dry white wine
  • An arugula salad with lemon
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 days, the fish doesn't keep much longer than that. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water so the swordfish doesn't dry out. Freezing isn't recommended because of the fish and the already cooked pasta.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

You can salt and brown the eggplant, then make the tomato sauce in advance. Cook the swordfish and pasta at the last minute to keep the fish's pearly texture.

What fish can replace swordfish?

Fresh tuna and monkfish both work well thanks to their firm texture. Avoid delicate fish that would flake apart during cooking.

Why salt the eggplant first?

Salt draws water out of the eggplant, so it becomes denser and absorbs less oil when cooked. This step keeps the dish from turning greasy.

Can you freeze this dish?

It's not recommended, the cooked fish and pasta lose their texture after freezing and thawing. It's best eaten within two days of making it.

How long does it take to make a swordfish and eggplant pasta?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a swordfish and eggplant pasta?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a swordfish and eggplant pasta cost?

About €4.00 per serving, or €16.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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