Ingredients:
1 to taste salt and pepper
10 Each basil, fresh torn
8 Ounce(wt)s cheese, Ricotta Salata for grating
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Directions:
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.
Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until almost smoking. Working in batches, sauté the 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.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a 9- by 12-inch baking dish with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Cook the penne in the boiling water until 2 minutes short of the package instructions. Drain and shock the pasta in ice water for 2 minutes. Drain the pasta very well, place in a mixing bowl and toss with 1 cup of tomato sauce.
Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1⁄4 cup of the tomato sauce. Top the tomato sauce with half the breadcrumbs and then add half the cooked and sauced pasta, then half of the eggplant cubes, arranged in a layer. Dot about 1⁄4 cup of the tomato sauce over, and top with half the grated Pecorino and half of the torn basil leaves. Repeat the process with the pasta, then the eggplant, dot with the remaining tomato sauce, then the cheese and basil. Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs, sprinkle the Mozzarella cubes evenly and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Bake for 45 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Place a generous portion on each plate, grate Ricotta Salata over and serve. |