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1 pound pasta (casarecce, penne, rigatoni, etc.)

½ cup olive oil (divided)

1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes (hand crushed or blender pulsed)

1 large eggplant (cubed)

1 medium onion (diced)

4 cloves garlic (sliced)

2 cups mozzarella (cubed)

¼ cup Pecorino Romano (grated)

¼ cup basil (torn)

¼ cup mint (torn)

2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)

½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes (optional)

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1. Toss cubed eggplant with a ¼ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Spread eggplant out, without crowding, on a baking sheet (use 2 if necessary) and bake in the middle of oven for 25 minutes at 400f.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt per gallon of water) to boil.

3. In a very large pan saute the onions in a ¼ cup of olive over medium-low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add in the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes more until lightly golden, then add in the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 more seconds.

4. Add in the crushed plum tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer. While the sauce is simmering cook the pasta until al dente.

5. Season the sauce with a bit of kosher salt and taste test it. If more salt or pepper is needed, add it now. Add in the roasted eggplant, basil, mint, and the al dente pasta to the sauce. Cook for 1 minute more while stirring it all together. If the pasta is too dry add a couple of ounces of pasta water and mix.

6. Turn off the heat and add in the cubed mozzarella and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Five ways to change up Pasta alla Siciliana

One of the reasons I love this dish is that it can be made in so many different ways.

Besides changing up the pasta shape, you can add or take away as you see fit.

Here are some variations to consider:

Add some ground sausage to this dish for some extra protein

Add a few dollops of ricotta cheese to the mix. You can either top each plate with a dollop, or stir around to evenly distribute. You could also use just ricotta, and forgo the mozzarella.

Change up the herbs. If you don’t have basil or mint, you can certainly use parsley or even oregano. Fresh or dried oregano is fine. If using dried, go easy, and if you can use the Sicilian variety.

To make it vegan or dairy-free, simply omit the cheese. It will still be delicious as the roasted eggplant imparts such wonderful flavor and texture.

To up your veggie intake, toss in some fresh baby spinach.

For a baked version, try baked eggplant pasta.