Ingredients
Scale
- ½ ripe eggplant, diced
- ½ lb- 1 lb rigatoni
- Jarred marinara sauce
- 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp dried Calabrian chili flakes
- ½ cup olive oil
- Fresh basil to taste
- 2 tablespoons Ricotta Salata
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
- In a saute pan, heat up the olive oil on medium heat.
- Dice your eggplant into ½ inch cubes.
- When your oil is hot enough, add eggplant, being sure not to overcrowd the pan. You want to make sure each side of the eggplant turns golden brown. Do it in a couple batches if necessary.
- Season eggplant with salt and pepper.
- Once the eggplant gets golden brown, transfer to a paper towel lined dish to soak off any excess oil.
- Get rid of most of your oil, leaving a little bit at the bottom.
- Add minced garlic and calabrian chili peppers to the saute pan. Season with salt & pepper and allow the garlic to toast until fragrant.
- Add your eggplant back to the sautee pan.
- Add 2 cups of your marinara sauce to the pan with the sauteed eggplant, and let it simmer
- When rigatoni is cooked to al dente, add it to the saute pan with the eggplant and marinara sauce.
- Coat the pasta with sauce by tossing in the pan.
- Add fresh basil and some grated ricotta salata to the pan and toss with pasta.
- Plate your pasta, and serve with extra basil and more ricotta salata on top.
- Enjoy