Penne ricotta e melanzane

Penne with ricotta and eggplant is a simple but very tasty dish of Italian cuisine. This dish pairs the creaminess of ricotta with the texture and flavor of eggplants. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 320 g of penne
• 250 g of fresh ricotta
• 1 large eggplant
• 400 g of peeled tomatoes or tomato puree
• 1 clove of garlic
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• Chili pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. Wash and cut the eggplant into cubes. Put the cubes in a colander, sprinkle them with a little salt to remove their bitterness, and leave to rest for about 30 minutes. Then rinse and dry them.
2. In a non-stick pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the garlic clove for a couple of minutes. Add the eggplant cubes and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until golden. Remove the garlic.
3. Add the peeled tomatoes to the pan with the eggplants and let cook for another 15 minutes. If you like spicy flavors, you can add some chili pepper. Adjust with salt.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne until “al dente”. Drain the pasta, saving some of the cooking water.
5. While the pasta is cooking, put the ricotta in a bowl and dilute it with a little cooking water to make it creamy.
6. Add the pasta to the pan with the eggplant sauce, along with the diluted ricotta. Mix well to combine the ingredients.
7. Serve the penne hot, garnished with chopped fresh basil and, if you like, a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese.

Curiosity

This dish is an example of how Italian cuisine can enhance seasonal vegetables; in this case, the eggplant, a summer vegetable that acquires a nice consistency once cooked, is very versatile in the kitchen. The combination with ricotta adds a touch of creaminess without weighing down the dish, making it ideal for a summer lunch.

I hope you enjoy this classic Italian recipe with a little twist! Buon appetito!