Penne con Melanzane

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F gas/mark 6)

Put a large pan of water on to boil (add a dash of salt when it does)

Cut the aubergine into thin slices (about a half of a centimetre or a quarter of an inch) on a slight diagonal to get larger slices.  Bake until golden brown on both sides turning once for about thirty minutes

Dice the onion and chop the garlic

Splash some olive oil in large pan and place on a low heat ,add the diced onion, sprinkle with a little salt, stir to coat in oil.  Cover.  Cook for ten minutes or until the onions are soft but not brown.  Half way through stir in the garlic and add the crushed chillies and some freshly ground black pepper (and the pinch of oregano)

When the onions are ready add the tin of tomatoes, squash a little against the sides of the pan if using plum.  Add a squirt (about two teaspoons) of tomato puree, stir well.  Bring slowly to the boil and add the drained chickpeas, reduce heat to simmer uncovered for a further ten minutes while the pasta is cooking

Add the pasta to the boiling salted water are cook for nine minutes or al dente.  Towards the end of cooking time add a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water to the simmering sauce and stir

Drain the pasta

Turn off the heat under the sauce.  Add the aubergines, two thirds of the chopped parsley.  Stir and then stir in the drained pasta

Serve garnished with the rest of the parsley, black pepper and rock salt