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INGREDIENTS:
Tomato Sauce
(Can be made ahead of time)
¼ cup of olive oil
½ onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 basil leaves, torn
Pasta and Eggplant
2 eggplants, thinly sliced
salt
2 cups or more of olive oil or vegetable oil
1 pound of rigatoni pasta
1 cup of grated Ricotta Salata or 1 cup of freshly grated Romano cheese
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METHOD:
Tomato Sauce
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and sauté until translucent.
Add the tomatoes salt, pepper and basil and simmer r for 20 to 25 minutes. Sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for six months.
Pasta and Eggplant
1. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt, weigh it down with a heavy pan, and let it stand for 30 minutes in a colander. Drain and pat thoroughly dry.
2. Pour the oil into a large, deep, heavy skillet and deep-fry the eggplant until it is golden on both sides. Drain well on paper towels and set aside.
3. Cook the pasta in 6 quarts of boiling water, to which 2 tablespoons of salt has been added, until al dente (about 7 to 10 minutes). Drain and toss with the tomato sauce. Top each serving with eggplant slices and some of the Ricotta Salata or Romano cheese. Pass additional grated cheese at the table.
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