Annabella Sciorra’s Sicilian Pasta With Mozzarella and Eggplant

This recipe was printed in Quick and Simple Magazine and it looks good, although I have yet to make it.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 8 bowls of pasta

Ingredients

• 5  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  lbs  small to medium eggplants, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
•  salt, and freshly ground
•  black pepper, to taste
• 2  lbs penne pasta
• 3  cups tomato sauce
• 1  cup  toasted  breadcrumbs
• 1⁄2 cup  grated romano cheese or 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese
• 10  fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1  lb mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until almost smoking. Working in batches, sauté eggplant cubes, seasoning them with salt and pepper, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
2. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease a 9” x 12” baking dish generously with olive oil.
3. Boil penne until 2 minutes short of package instructions; drain and shock pasta in ice water for 2 minutes, so it stops cooking. Drain again very thoroughly and toss with 1 cup tomato sauce in a mixing bowl.
4. Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce in baking dish. Top with 1/2 cup bread crumbs, then layer half the pasta, followed by half of the eggplant cubes. Dot 1/4 cup tomato sauce over, and top with 1/4 cup grated Romano and half the basil leaves. Layer remaining pasta and then eggplant on top, and cover with remaining 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Romano cheese and remaining basil. Top with remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs and all the mozzarella cubes, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
5. Bake for 45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.