Flageolet and Aubergine Casserole with Spaghetti

Spaghetti is one of my favourite foods as much as flageolet beans are one of my favourite beans. Whenever I have spaghetti or pasta, I like combining it with some sort of beans to add up the proteins.

Tossing in some vegetables as well just make a quick wholesome meal. I usually use any vegetables I have at hand and this time it was aubergine.
What’s nice about this recipe is that you can make ahead for two meals and it keeps very well.

I usually do not deep fry aubergines as they soak up too much oil. I find that shallow frying them in 2 tablespoons of olive oil while covering them gives them a nice creamy texture without compromising on the taste. And this recipe does not require them to be cooked to death beforehand.

Now that I am writing down this recipe, I could go and eat some more!




Ingredients (6 servings)

1 large aubergine
250 g canned (or fresh) mushrooms
1 can (or 250 g) flageolet beans, drained
1 red onion chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch coriander (adjust quantity to taste) finely chopped
Salt to taste

300 g boiled spaghetti

• Cut the aubergines into small ¼-circle (or cube) pieces.
• In a large non-stick fry pan, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Add the aubergine and stir to coat with oil.
• Cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. (Be careful not to fully cook them as they will cook for some more time in the sauce afterward).
• Meanwhile, in a deeper pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Add garlic and onion.
• Cook until onion is semi-translucent.
• Add mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and allow to reduce for 10 minutes.
• By this time the aubergine would be ready.
• Transfer the aubergines to the tomato sauce.
• Add the flageolet and stir. Add water if sauce has reduced too much.
• Cover and simmer for 5 – 7 minutes.
• Add salt to taste
• Sprinkle with fresh coriander.

Serve with boiled spaghetti.