Adriana's Italian Recipe for Penne with Tomatoes, Eggplant and Mozzarella

Penne with Tomatoes, Eggplant and Mozzarella
(Penne con Pomodori, Melanzane e Mozzarella)


Ingredients:
1 firm ripe eggplant Extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped Two 14-ounce cans plum tomatoes 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 4 tablespoons heavy cream 1 pound Penne pasta 7 ounces milk mozzarella Bunch fresh basil, leaves ripped and stalks sliced Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 piece Parmigiano cheese, for grating Directions: Remove both ends of eggplant and slice it into 1/2 inch slices, then slice these across and finely dice into 1/2 inch cubes. Put a large saucepan on the heat and drizzle in 4 to 5 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. When it's hot, add the cubes of eggplant, and as soon as they are in the pan stir them around with a spoon so they are slightly coated with the olive oil and not soaked on one side only. Cook for about 7 or 8 minutes on a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. When they have a little color, add the canned tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar. Stir around and season carefully with salt and pepper. Add the basil stalks, and simmer the sauce gently for about 15 minutes, then add the cream. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the pasta, cook according to the package instructions until it is 'al dente', then drain it, saving a little of the cooking water. Add the tomato sauce to the pasta. By now the eggplant will have cooked into a creamy tomato pulp. Season carefully to taste with salt and pepper. Take the pan to the serving table, tear up the mozzarella and the fresh basil, and add these in for 30 seconds. Then very quickly serve into bowls. Serve at the table with a block of Parmigiano cheese and a grater so that everyone can help themselves. Serves 4. That's it!

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