Spicy Salami & Eggplant Penne

Warm, not spicy.

I know, you’re thinking of course this meal is spicy. After all, it has spicy salami as the key ingredient. Well yes… it does have this. However, when combined with all the other ingredients, this pasta is definitely warm and not spicy. I made this and the family polished off every last morsel on their plates. When asking them if they liked this spicy salami and eggplant penne, I was given the big double thumbs up.

As far as making pasta dish from scratch, spicy salami & eggplant penne is one of the easiest. You’re not making a wet sauce but simply cooking the vegetables until tender. It’s a filling meal that’s full of flavour and completely delicious. This meal comes together really quickly. If you’re after a quick weeknight meal for the family, then this is it.

Let’s talk about salami

Salami is actually from Italy. It first originated there where it was called “salume” and refers to all types of salted meats. It first arrived in Australia with European immigrants following WW2 from 1940’s through to 1960’s. My dad was actually one of those immigrants and came to Australia on a ship from Italy. Immigrants from Italy and other European countries brought with them their family recipes for curing and preserving meats. Traditionally the cooking was left to the women of the household, but when it came to curing meat it was the men that did this (source: Salumi Australia). Growing up my dad used to cure his own bacon and speck which mum used to cook with in the restaurant they had in Queenstown.

When it comes to salami, we always keep some in our fridge for sandwiches or to snack on with crackers and cheese. The kids love the milder versions, but us grown ups prefer spicy salami… often the hotter the better. When we can get it, we’ll buy spicy salami coated in chillis. However, more often than not we’ll buy Sopressa salami which is more readily available. Sopressa originated in the Veneto region in northern Italy and comes in both spicy and mild versions. The spicy one contains both cracked black peppercorns with crushed red pepper flakes plus a range of other added spices.


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Spicy Salami & Eggplant Penne - this is a dry pasta dish made with spicy salami, eggplant and fresh tomatoes.

Spicy Salami & Eggplant Penne

The perfect way to use fresh vegetables. The spicy salami adds a gentle warmth and flavour into the pasta dish without it being too spicy. Everyone will love it!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
 

  • 500 grams penne pasta
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 200 grams thinly sliced hot Sopressa salami, chopped
  • 1 small eggplant, diced
  • 4 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • salt & pepper
  • fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions, or until al dente. Drain and return to the pan.
  • While the pasta is cooking, add the oil and salami into medium sized saucepan and cook over medium heat. Fry for 2 minutes, or until salami releases its flavours.
  • Add the garlic and onion, cook stirring for 1 minute until both garlic and onion starts to soften.
  • Add eggplant, tomato and zucchini along with the wine. Cook for 12 minutes while stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Combine the eggplant mixture and penne pasta together. Serve with fresh parsley sprinkled on top.

Notes

  • You can add sliced black olives in with the vegetables for something a little different.
  • When serving, you can also add grated parmesan on top as well as chilli flakes for those seeking a little more heat.

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