Laura Vitale- Pasta Alla Siciliana - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 lb pasta (penne, rigatoni, ziti)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra
28 ounces crushed tomatoes, canned
1 large eggplant, most of the skin peeled and cut into large cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Fill a large pot with water, sprinkle in a good amount of salt and bring to a boil.
Add the cubed eggplant to the baking sheet and drizzle over some olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss. Bake for about 20 minutes or so.
In a non stick pan add the 2 tbsp of olive oil and onions, cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions start to cook down and develop some color. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Add the crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, cook for about 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Add the roasted eggplant and cook for 10 more minutes. This is the point where you add the pasta to the salted boiling water and cook according to package instructions.
Drain the pasta and remove the sauce from the heat. Adjust the seasoning and add the pasta to the sauce along with the parmigiano and basil. Toss until the pasta is coated in the sauce then add the cubed mozzarella and toss around some more until the mozzarella slowly starts to melt.
Serve right away!