Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes, plus marinating and standing
Cooking time 25 minutes
1 aubergine, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) slices
2 courgettes, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) slices
100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon good-quality aged balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
20 g (¾ oz) basil, roughly chopped
20 g (¾ oz) mint, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons capers in brine, rinsed and drained
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
40 g (1½ oz) pine nuts
200 g (7 oz) dried conchiglie
salt
Heat a ridged griddle pan over a high heat until smoking. Toss the aubergines and courgettes with 4 tablespoons of the oil in a bowl. Add to the pan, in batches, and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side until well charred and tender all the way through.
As you remove the batches from the pan, cut the courgette slices into 3 and the aubergine slices in half. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl with the remaining oil, vinegar, garlic, herbs, capers and chilli, and toss well to combine. Season with salt and leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight, covered, in the refrigerator.
Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a low heat, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes, or until golden. Stir into the griddled vegetables.
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain, refresh in cold water, then drain again thoroughly before stirring into the prepared griddled vegetables. Leave to stand for 10 minutes for the flavours to mingle before serving.
For red pepper & asparagus salad, replace the aubergine and courgettes with 2 red peppers and 150 g (5 oz) asparagus. Halve, deseed and slice the red peppers and trim, blanch and drain the asparagus. Griddle the peppers and asparagus and prepare the rest of the salad as above.