Sian Redgrave's Fettuccine With Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Eggplant and Burrata

September 22, 2024 by Juna Xu

Welcome to Put on a Spread, a recipe series that takes you inside the kitchens – and dining rooms – of some of our favourite home cooks. For this instalment, food stylist, recipe developer and The Makers alumni, Sian Redgrave, shares her take on a simple tomato-based pasta, fettuccine with cherry tomatoes, roasted eggplant and burrata.

Want to take a quick trip to Italy on a weeknight after a long, hard day at work? A bowl of this creamy vegetarian fettuccine paired with a glass of chilled white wine will do the trick.

While this dish is incredibly simple to make, it tastes decadent thanks to the luxurious melted burrata cheese that's gently folded through the long strands of silky pasta.

It's packed with flavour from the roasted eggplant, bright cherry tomatoes, a touch of chilli and fresh basil. And while it's completely vegetarian, even the meat-lovers will be converted.

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants, cut into 3cm cubes
3 tbsp olive oil
400g fettuccine
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
500g cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
150g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
200g burrata cheese
Fresh basil to serve

Method

Preheat your oven to 200C.

Place the diced eggplant on two baking trays lined with baking paper. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Place the trays in the oven to roast for 30 minutes, turning the eggplant halfway through. The eggplant should be golden, soft and have little crunchy edges. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

In a large frypan, heat the remaining oil over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chilli and stir until fragrant.

Carefully add in the cherry tomatoes (it will splatter a little) and stir to combine. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down and a sauce is formed.

Add the fettuccine to the pot of boiling water and cook until al dente, referring to packet instructions.

Drain the fettuccine in a colander and reserve a ladle of the pasta water.

Add the fettuccine to the frypan, along with the reserved pasta water and the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Stir through the roasted eggplant. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a large serving dish. Top with the burrata, allow to sit for a minute or so to melt the cheese and then stir through. Top with fresh basil and serve immediately.