Sicilian Pasta (Pasta alla Siciliana)

If you take a look at the Italy's map, you will see that Sicily is the Island situated at the tip of the boot.

Sicily is a land rich in culture and traditions, because it is the result of the mixing and the integration of many of alien cultures. It was inhabited in antiquity by the Phoenician and the ancients Greek, and at different times it was invaded by Romans, Vikings, Vandals, Ostrogoth, Byzantines, Arabs and Normans. Later, there was the Kingdom of Sicily, subordinated to Spain, and subsequently unified with Naples as the Kingdom of the “Two Sicilies.”

One of the results of that complicated series of succession and interlacing of cultures is the "Sicilian Pasta," which is merely made with eggplant and mozzarella, and the result is as simple as genial.

But beyond any consideration, from my little personal experience I can tell you that Sicily has the most warm and welcoming people I have ever known, and their traditional dishes are as awesome as its inhabitants. Try it to believe!

Ingredients

• 1 lb (~500 gr) Ziti pasta (otherwise Bucatini, Penne, or Rigatoni);
• 1 lb (~500 gr) eggplant;
• 15 oz (~420 gr) canned whole peeled Italian tomatoes (San Marzano);
• 1 lb (~500 gr) mozzarella;
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil;
• 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil;
• 4 cloves garlic;
• 1/2 tsp crushed Italian red pepper;
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• Handful basil leaves.

Directions

Dice the eggplants into cubes and place them in a colander with salt in order to remove their bitterness for 30 minutes, then rinse them, press them, and fry them in the vegetable oil. When the eggplant is golden, drain them, and then dry them in paper towel.

Meanwhile, fry the garlic and the crushed Italian hot pepper with the extra virgin oil, remove the garlic when it is golden and add the tomatoes already sliced, and also a little salt. Cook it for about 15 minutes, then add the eggplant, cook it for few more minutes, and stir it once in a while.

At the same time cook the pasta, "al dente," in plenty of salted water for the time indicated in the package.

Dice the mozzarella and set aside.

When the pasta is ready, drain it and put it back into the pot, add the eggplant sauce and stir. Then add the mozzarella already diced, and stir it in a very slow fire. When the mozzarella melts, turn off the fire and add the grated Parmesan cheese and the basil leaves.

Serve immediately and you will enjoy eating with the mozzarella wires!