Serves 4
Sometimes cooks add a pinch of sugar to the sauce to tame any last bit of bitterness in the eggplant. The dish is finished with ricotta salata; although nontraditional, you might prefer to add some cubed fresh mozzarella at the very end instead of the ricotta salata.
Ingredients
- 2 slender eggplants (Japanese, if available, about 1 3/4 lb total), sliced about 1/-4 inch thick
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
- 4 large tomatoes, peeled (if desired) and diced
- Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- 1 lb rigatoni or similar short tube-shaped pasta
- 1/2 cup torn basil leaves
- 1/2 cup grated ricotta salata (2 oz)
Directions
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Place the eggplant in a colander. Salt the eggplants and drain them for at least 1 hour.
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Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat the skillet (about 2 tablespoons). Add the eggplants and fry, turning the pieces occasionally. Keep frying until the eggplants are tender and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
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Heat another large skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and a little salt and pepper. Decrease the heat to low and simmer just until the tomatoes are very hot.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni and stir a few times to separate the pasta. Cook uncovered until just tender to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes.
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Drain the pasta immediately through a colander. Shake well to remove any water clinging to the pasta. Pour the hot rigatoni into a serving bowl and add the tomato mixture, about three quarters of the fried eggplants, and the basil. Toss together to combine.
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Serve at once, topped with the reserved eggplant and the ricotta salata.
