Serves 4-6


This baked pasta is a classic Sicilian Sunday dinner.Be sure to serve a simple green salad and a good red wine




  Penne alla Siciliana

60ml/ 4 tablespoons extra virgin
  olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 shallots diced fine
1 onion, diced
3 eggplant, diced
1 eggplant, sliced
12 kalamata olives, pitted and
  chopped
½ cup white wine
1 large can peeled tomatoes,
  drained and chopped
200 grams/ 7ounces buffalo
  mozzarella
150 grams/ 5 ounces fresh ricotta
50 grams/ 2 ounces grated
  Reggiano Parmigiano
50 grams/ 2 ounces grated
  pecorino
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
350 grams/ 12 ounces dried penne
  pasta






 

        Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. When the oil is hot add the garlic, shallots, onion and diced eggplant. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring well. Add the olives and stir, then turn up the heat and add the wine. Cook for a few minutes until the wine is evaporated. Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes, continuing to stir. Add the ricotta, Parmesan, and pecorino. Then stir in the oregano and take off the heat.

        Cook the penne as according to the directions How to make Fresh Pasta Cook until the pasta is very al dente . . . it must have some resistance to the bite. Do not overcook the penne at this point since it is going to be baked in the oven. Cook for 4 minutes less than usual. Then pour into a colander to drain, shaking the pasta vigorously to remove as much water as possible.

        Pour the penne and the sauce into a rectangular baking dish. Place the sliced eggplant around the edges of the dish. Add the grated mozzarella to the middle of the dish, just to the edge of the eggplant slices. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

Baan Rim Pa
Otowa Japanese
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