Mitterando Family Recipes


Bari-Style Eggplant and Pasta

Marge Cervone found this Bari-inspired recipe in the newspaper years ago.
Ingredients:
1 Large eggplant
4 Eggs (2 lightly beaten, 2 whole)
1 Cup bread crumbs with 1/2 cup all purpose flour
Oil for frying eggplant
1 Pound Rigatoni
1 Pound Ricotta
1 8 oz package shredded mozzarella, divided
1/2 Cup grated parmesan cheese
Approximately 1/4 cup fresh parsley
Salt and Pepper
4 Cups tomato sauce
 
1. Rinse and dry eggplant. Slice thin. Dip each slice in dish with beaten eggs, allowing excess egg to drip off. Then dip each slice into dish with bread crumb and flour mixture. Coat slices well. 2. Heat oil in frying pan and fry eggplant slices a few at a time over medium heat - turning once, until slices are golden brown. Set slices aside on paper towel. 3. Cook the rigatoni in lightly salted boiling water until al dente. Drain. 4. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 2 whole eggs, parsley, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix in pasta and blend well. 5. Place about 1 cup of sauce in bottom of a 9-by-13 inch baking pan. Top with half the fried eggplant slices, cover with 1 cup sauce, then spoon on all of the ricotta/pasta mixture. Add another cup of sauce, the rest of the eggplant slices and cover with remaining sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella, cover with aluminum foil. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. Makes 12 servings.
 
Submitted by: Marge  Cervone