Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic-minced
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 28 oz can crushed plum tomatoes with juices
- 5 ounces ziti pasta, cooked al dente
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup Parm-Regg cheese, grated
- ¾ pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
Directions
1. Position rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 400°. In 10 inch nonstick fry pan (oven safe) over medium-high heat, warm 2 teaspoon oil. Brown sausage 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat in pan. Set pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 teaspoon, cook eggplant 6 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Set pan over medium heat, wrm 1 tablespoon oil. Cook onion 5-6 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add wine, increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Cook 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and juices; simmer 10 minutes. |
2. Add sausage, pasta, basil and 2 cups mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce to bowl with eggplant; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to fry pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup remaining mozzarella cheese and Parm-Reg cheese over pasta. Cover and bake 25 minutes. Uncover, broil at 500° for 5 minutes. Serves 6 |