Rigatoni with Eggplant

By LoriCaputo

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp. Flour
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3 lb. Eggplant, cut into ½ inch dice
• 1/2 ½ cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp. Olive oil
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 10 torn basil leaves
• Pinch dried oregano
• 4 oz. Hand crushed canned whole tomatoes
• 2 tbs. vegetable broth or water
• 6 oz. Rigatoni
• 2 tbs. crumbled ricotta
• 1/4 ¼ tsp. Fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 ¼ tsp. Fresh basil, chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Combine flour with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add diced eggplant and toss and coat. In a large skillet, heat the canola oil until a pinch of flour sizzles when tossed into the pan. Add eggplant in batches, and cook, turning with a slotted spoon, until well browned. Drain on paper towels, wipe out skillet.
Combine olive oil, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in skillet. Place over medium heat and cook until vegetables are softened and beginning to caramelize, 3 – 5 minutes. Add torn basil leaves, oregano, and fried eggplant; stir and cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook 1 minute more. Add broth, season with salt and pepper, and cook until liquid is reduced and somewhat thickened, about 5 minutes.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook 7 minutes, pasta will be undercooked. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, drain pasta.
Add pasta to the pan with the sauce. Add enough of the pasta cooking water to coat the pasta and simmer until rigatoni is al dente; adding the remaining pasta water as needed. Add ricotta, parsley, and chopped basil, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve.