Ricette di Sicilia
Cibo, cultura e tradizioni siciliane
Agrigento-Style Cavatelli with Fried Aubergines and Ricotta Salata
A vibrant Sicilian pasta dish from Agrigento, featuring fried aubergines, bright tomato sauce and a generous snowfall of ricotta salata.
🛒 Ingredients
▸ For the cavatelli
- ✓ 500 g semolina flour
- ✓ Water, as needed
- ✓ Salt, to taste
▸ For the sauce
- ✓ 1.5 kg ripe tomatoes
- ✓ 1 large aubergine
- ✓ 100 g ricotta salata
- ✓ 1 garlic clove
- ✓ ½ onion
- ✓ A small bunch of fresh basil
- ✓ Extra-virgin olive oil
- ✓ Vegetable oil for frying
- ✓ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
📊 Nutritional Information
Few pasta dishes capture the soul of Agrigento quite like these cavatelli.
Handmade from semolina and water, tossed with fried aubergines, a fresh tomato sauce and a generous grating of ricotta salata - this is Sicilian home cooking at its most colourful and comforting.
It’s a dish rooted in the countryside: simple ingredients, big flavours and that unmistakable Mediterranean warmth. Whether you’re cooking for a summer lunch or bringing a taste of Sicily to a midweek table, these cavatelli all’agrigentina never disappoint.
👨🍳 Preparation
- 1
Place the semolina flour on a wooden board, add water and salt, and knead until smooth and elastic.
- 2
Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes, then roll into 2 cm ropes and press them with your fingers to shape the cavatelli.
- 3
Lay the pasta on a floured cloth and leave it to rest.
- 4
Cut the aubergine into cubes, salt lightly and leave in a colander for 30 minutes to draw out bitterness. Rinse, pat dry and fry in hot vegetable oil until golden.
- 5
Make the tomato sauce: add chopped tomatoes, garlic, onion and basil to a saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes, then pass through a tomato press. Season with salt and pepper.
- 6
Cook the cavatelli in plenty of salted boiling water with a drop of olive oil. Drain and toss with the tomato sauce and fried aubergines.
- 7
Finish with plenty of grated ricotta salata and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
- 8
Serve hot, topped with fresh basil leaves.
💡 Tips and Variations
For an extra layer of flavour, add cubes of baked ricotta.
Prefer something lighter? Grill the aubergines instead of frying them.
A pinch of Sicilian oregano in the sauce adds a wonderfully aromatic touch.
📦 Storage
- • Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- • Reheat gently in a frying pan with a splash of olive oil.
- • Do not freeze - ricotta salata and aubergines lose their texture.
🍷 Pairing
Enjoy these Agrigento-style cavatelli with a glass of Contea di Sclafani young red wine.
Its floral notes and balanced flavour pair beautifully with aubergines and ricotta salata.
These cavatelli all’agrigentina bring the essence of Sicilian summer straight to your table.
Vibrant, rustic and full of character, they celebrate everything there is to love about Agrigento’s culinary tradition.
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