Vegetarian This traditional Sicilian dish combines pasta, eggplant, tomatoes, olives and salty ricotta salata for a light summer meal. Serve with a green salad and a bottle of pinot grigio. Serves 6 · 1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes · 1 eggplant (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch cubes · 1 cup extra virgin olive oil · sea salt, to taste · freshly ground pepper, to taste · 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic · 1 cup white wine · 1 pound penne rigate pasta · 1/2 cup oil-cured olives, pitted, roughly chopped · 1 cup ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (a hard ricotta cheese, perfect for grating) · 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated · 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Core the tomatoes and slice them in quarters lengthwise. Then cut them in half, yielding 8 pieces per tomato. Toss the tomatoes with about 1/3 cups of the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Roast until softened and beginning to char, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside. Toss the eggplant cubes with about 1/3 cup of the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a second rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Roast until browned and softened, about 20 minutes. Set aside. In a large pan, heat the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic starts to brown. Watch carefully to make sure the garlic does not burn. Add the white wine and simmer until reduced by about half. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just tender to the bite. Follow package instructions for timing guidelines. Add the roasted tomatoes, roasted eggplant and olives to the garlic-wine mixture. As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the vegetables with a tablespoon or two of the starchy pasta cooking water to help create a sauce. Toss to combine well. Add the ricotta salata, pecorino romano and fresh basil leaves and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Nutrition Info Per serving (About 15oz/433g-wt.): 660 calories (440 from fat), 49g total fat, 11g saturated fat, 12g protein, 39g total carbohydrate (7g dietary fiber, 7g sugar), 25mg cholesterol, 790mg sodium Recipes from www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes