Rigatoni Pomodoro with Eggplant
Make it rigatoni pasta day with this rigatoni pomodoro with eggplant dish. Quick & simple to prepare, and delicious & satisfying to eat. This eggplant vegetarian pasta dish is great with any short pasta; make it a fusilli or penne pomodoro. Ready in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb rigatoni
- 1 whole eggplant, cut in 0.5 inch cubes peeling optional
- 8 whole roma tomatoes, peeled and cored, cut in 0.5 inch chunks
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 0.75 cup parmiggiano reggiano, grated
- 12 leaves basil, cut into strips (chiffonade)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water according to package directions
- Cook cubed eggplant eggplant in 350 deg oven until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes
- Heat up olive oil in a large saute pan. Add peeled, diced tomates. Cook for about two or three minutes. Add oven roasted egglant and toss. Cook another three minutes. Add minced garlic and toss. Cook two minutes, until garlic is just cooked and fragrant (don't brown the garlic).
- Add the rigatoni to the saute pan with about half a cup of the pasta water. Toss and simmer for about two minutes.
- Turn off heat, and toss in 80% of the parmiggiano. Toss and/or mix well to emulsify the cheese into the sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency of sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately. Top with remaining cheese and chopped basil.